I disagree. A company that produces a product with obvious problems that any reasonable user testing/quality control would not have allowed isn't 'listening to consumers' - it's taking advantage of them. Not to mention using reviewers as proxy beta testers in exchange for free products. It's also disappointing when some reviewers then excuse this behavior when said company resolves such problems after the fact. If reviewers boycotted companies that create sub-par products and told potential consumers to not buy from the company again, this would send a clear signal to companies to stop this nonsense.
Naw, they shouldn't have been selling them. It's fine if they send preproduction versions to the reviewers if they intend on fixing issues before production. Plenty of companies do that. What shouldn't happen is paying customers being beta testers.
Before you accept the views of these critics, consider also this item posted by another commenter (@AwpShots1, see below for original post): "right after you posted your old video, qidi reached out to all of the current buyers and offered 2 options, keep the machine and full refund, or keep the machine and 50% refund with full warranty for free parts. they really did right by their customers." I've NEVER heard of a company offering either of those options to existing customers when a revised version is in the works! Qidi certainly deserves some serious points for that!
right after you posted your old video, qidi reached out to all of the current buyers and offered 2 options, keep the machine and full refund, or keep the machine and 50% refund with full warranty for free parts. they really did right by their customers. orca slicer also has built in profiles for the qidi plus 3, they work great and i’ve been using orca exclusively for the past 2 or so months, it’s awesome it has klipper web interface integration right in the slicer
I've NEVER heard of a company offering either of those options to existing customers when a revised version is in the works! Qidi certainly deserves some serious points for that!
@@steveh8724 yup, i really couldnt believe it. i ended up taking them up on that partial refund because it didnt really feel right taking a full refund and keeping the machine when really it does work for everything i need it to do. ive yet to use the heated chamber once, and users with the old model report that if youre using it, after about 40 mins of preheating there are no issues whatsoever. qidi has been great sending over every new part that was added to the newer models as well
you making this comment has pushed me too QIDI now sounds like great customer service. ive been tossing up between QIDI and Creality K1 Max. so thank you
I purchased the X-Plus3 in April before the redesign. I contacted QIDI Tech to see what they were willing to do for customers that purchased the initial design. It sounds like they are going to ship me a new printer. I'll keep you posted, but QIDI Tech has impressed me so far with their customer service.
Somehow I have a feeling the whole hand breaking of the test parts was added for no other reason than to allow him to show off his deadweight lifting strength. 😂😂
Love your channel and mix of machining, electronics, CAD, etc and the reviews. I'm thinking that at well under £1000 in the UK, I may well go for one of these. And you have to congratulate Qidi on actually pulling the original printer to sort the issues that you highlighted.
Another great review. You were the reason why I hesitated to buy Qidi and you will be the reason why I will buy one. You have a great channel, wish you the best. I am also so impressed with Qidi because they stopped selling it and went through a major revision of the printers before re release. Usually companies still sell the products and then just release a new updated version while causing quite a bit of frustration for the early adopters.
Thanks for the upload and update! I've had the X-Max lines and soon to get the latest and I have a couple X1C's and the small tinkering required is not so bad for me when I get their massive build volumes with pretty good/decent quality for some bigger stuff, but the X1C's are where my business does its production for PLA and some ABS ❤
Nice to see they to your advice. Your thoroughness and willingness to work with them makes a compelling argument for them to listen to your inputs. I'm thinking you're going to need a bigger shop at some point in the near future. I'm really hoping to see something on your Avid CNC soon.
The funny part is I found your non scientific test to be more helpful than a lot of scientific tests I see on other channels (-8 So nice that we can now buy printers of this caliber for these prices!
youre the only reviewer that actually mentioned the fluid console... I was wondering if it was available at launch.... AND checked the base of your model for flatness.... great stuff
The fact that you checked the Github, and told us that it seems like they're complying with the license, just took Qiditech out of my shitlist. I run a 3D Printer repair shop in Florida, and I won't recommend anyone who is violating open source licenses. They've got customers coming from me with this move certainly. I have a few regulars who have been looking for something with an actively heated chamber for a wider range of engineering materials and this looks like it's the printer for them. Thank you for the time spent with the machine, it is crazy appreciated! Do you ever attend any of the RepRap festivals? MRRF, ERRF, being the main two...
Kudos to Qidi for fixing their issues. I’d love to see you try a full tungsten nozzle. It’s just a volcano right? I’m curious to see if you can get better volumetric flow than the steel nozzles.
I updated my 4 unit print farm at the beginning of the Covid Debacle. I came very close to buying Qidi because of the excellent specifications. I read the FB group for a while and am so glad I didn't get them. Maybe they are better now but I really dodged a bullet back then. Non serviceable heat break, not enough cooling for the heat break. Nah baby nah. Now to listen to your excellent content.
Thank you. I know that reviewing isn't your main thing but since you pull no punches your opinion is very valuable to me. As a result, I am having fun learning about the X1-C in my den.
I have been using Qidi printers in my printer farm for nearly a decade. "It just works" is the reason why, and it is what I expect from Qidi. I have tried a butt ton of other printers over those years and have just never found anything that is as reliable as my Qidi printers, so they have always ended up getting returned. I am glad to see that they are getting into the fast printing game.
I watched your last review video on this and it was not pretty, there were a lot of issues and what we're they thinking moments with the biggest for me being the non-replaceable carbon fiber guide rods IIRC. But I love that they took your constructive criticism and went back to the drawing board and fix the issues. It's really great when companies listen to and implement user/tester feedback!! Good on them. I know if I'm ever in the market for a 3d printer they would be one of my first go to's for that very reason. Great video as always James, thank you for uploading! 👍👍 Edit: spelling
My Xmax 3 arrives tomorrow and I am pumped after seeing this video. Thank you for following up and being so thorough and honest. I really give them credit for listening to their beta testers and making all of these improvements. I really liked the non-scientific strength test of the materials. It is real world when you think about it. No 2 stresses are ever applied exactly the same in the real world. Only in a Lab are such things possible. I was very impressed with the PA12-CF, and will be using that for sure in the future.
@@kyky7kyle7 So far so good. Been printing around the clock since Wednesday morning without a single issue or bad print. Their new slicer based on PrusaSlicer is awesome as well. Not a fan of Cura and prefer PrusaSlicer so this is a bonus for me.
As a Bambu fanboi, based solely on this review, I think this printer looks awesome! I wouldn’t even dock it for not having a camera given how easy it is to add one, it’s not like my x1c has the best camera in the world. I haven’t needed a bigger build plate, and so far I’ve been getting great results in ABS. But, if I didn’t think my partner would kill me, I’d definitely buy this as my next printer
Another point to make for that printer is, and possibly most important, that they care about improving their product and are willing to listen to users to make it better. So many companies put out a product and have no intention changing the product until the next iteration or model, and that's if they ever intend on taking the customer feedback seriously in the first place. This was a great video. Thanks🙂
I was about to order a Voron 2.4R2 kit, but this video has me rethinking... I can't build a Voron for this price in UK, but the spec is comparable and I love the open source software implementations. Qidi really seem to be a company working hard to build a reputation for listening and improving their products quickly. An exchange of messages on Reddit that I had returned numerous replies singing the praises of the company's responsiveness and helpfulness. This is what I personally want to hear. Thanks for the review and insights.
Mine came in yesterday. Setup went very smooth except for Wifi. That took many tries before it worked. Everything else has gone great and the PLA Rapido prints coming off this are amazing using the presets. I have a few more of their filament types but I hadn't tried anything else yet. It's so nice to click start and not wrestle with crap for hours and hours before you get a nice, usable part. Thanks for the follow up review on this. It's too bad they didn't give this one a new name or revision because everyone will confuse it with all the reviews from 3 months ago.
Thanks so much for posting an update - it's great to see the improvements to the frame and heat creep issues. I am surprised that your ABS prints maxed out a flow rate of 12mm3/s even after you raised the temperature above the ABS profile. Do you recall how high your extruder temp was when you were limited to 12mm3/s? Also was that with a standard 0.4mm nozzle? Qidi claims 35mm3/s with their rapido PLA at 240C, so I would hope to get a lot closer to that with high-temp ABS.
QIDI should be happy with this review. There's another important point to come from this, the Klipper install, and its accessibility, make this machine useful to Linux users like myself. In the past, proprietary slicers targeting Windows only, ruled them out for such users. QIDI have created themselves a new market segment and should be recognised for that (notwithstanding open sourcing the firmware and slicer also shows good intentions).
I've got 2 Vorons and 2 older non-working 3d printers, so my wife would have a fit if I tried to buy another, but I really enjoy seeing the advances in the latest printers. I have no doubt that if I hadn't built these 2 Vorons, I'd be buying a Bambu or something like this one. They are so much better out of the box than even just a couple years ago.
I super agree with how amazing the improvements have been. I have a 3 year old Sovol SV01 that mostly works for what I want, though I have had to modify it a good bit. I don't know when I'll buy a new printer, but I'm definitely going to go for one of these super fast models. Tinkering is fun but I also want something that "just works"
Yes, the WAF (woman acceptance factor) definitly is the main issue in 3d printing technology which is not solved for now. Only solution at the moment is to wait until it's solved before getting a wife. But with 2 Vorons (if at least one of them is a 2.4) I do not realy see the need to buy a Bambu or a X Plus. They are mostly ready2use products for what you already have as diy. You can add an ERCF to a Voron for multi-material and of course you also could add an auxilary fan and an active chamber heater.
@@oleurgast730 Yeah, so long as at least one of my 2 printers can print ASA, I really, really don't need a third printer. It's just awesome looking at the advances. And an ERCF is really tempting, but I think I'm going to let that get a little more mature before I jump on it. I'll probably kick myself for waiting for so long once I do. ;)
@@Raytenecks Actually the AMS from bambu has a big advantage to ERCF and MMU2, as it rewinds filament back to the spool. The "filament buffer" for the AMS is very smal, practicly just telling the AMS to deliver or rewind filament. I realy hope someone reverse engeneer the communication protocoll of the AMS and make it possible to use it with klipper instead of an ERCF. Of course, a solution for perfect filament tip is also to be found, as the cutting bambu does, is done in the printhead...
Thx for the update, kudos to the company for listening and adapting, but it is strange they did a bang- bang firmware control for the cabinet heater when it’s quite easy to setup a PID controller for that sort of things.
Always happy when combat robots appear in 3d printing! Good review. I've had a great experience with my lower end Qidi, and as my hobby is combat robotics, and not 3d printing itself, I recommend them to others looking to make small bots, as mine just worked out of the box without a lot of fiddling. We are looking to upgrade into stronger materials, and the Qidi is a strong contender, maybe stronger than Bambu, because of the heating for materials that require it. Thanks for the good review.
Thank you for the destructive testing (no issues with science, but not using gloves is scary)! Steel nozzle with raised temps is exactly what I'm doing on my Bambu Lab printer for PLA, 245°C was the first section where the "pin" in the temp tower doesn't break off easily. I think that's just the worse heat transfer vs. the copper.
Previously I was focusing to buy the qidi until i saw your first review. That's when i began to focus on the bambu x1c. I've not purchased yet, but now I'm excited to see how this review goes 😊 (i just began watching and I'll update my comment here after viewing)
It's very pleasing to companies supporting their products like this. I've been on the verge of buying an X1C for the last couple of weeks, but the QIDI is a better fit for my requirements so I will agonise over this a bit more (built in heated chamber and no cloud integration are significant benefits). Spares look quite reasonably priced as well. The PA12 CF looks amazing!
Thanks for a good technical review Clough42. As a suggestion for future videos, I've done quick and dirty strength tests between parts by hooking them together so a pair of parts can be loaded and compared in a tournament kind of scheme. Basically a "Last man standing" kind of tournament. Alternatively if parts can be hooked together in a chain you can bust the weakest links one at a time to determine a ranking for each part strength. It's not really suitable for the bracket type you're busting, but these are expedient means to compare process alternatives without having to deal with strain gauges and more complicated testing setups.
I just bought a Qidi X Max 3 and it is outstanding. I am a mechanical engineer and would recommend it to anyone who is wishing to buy. Everything about it works perfectly and it exceeded my expectations.
I saw it on Amazon for $979, Max 3. Would this model be good for a farm of 4 to 5 models to print small items maybe 4-6 grams/unit for 500-1000 units per month?
Scientific or not this video helped me with an issue I've experienced with printing wood filiment as I bought a .6 hardened steel nozzle for it although I know hardened steel isn't needed for wood I just got it so I could maybe use it for other things anyway my wood prints where very brittle so a after watching this I tried them at a higher temp and now they are much better than before,, thanks👍
Good review, very informative. I don't get that in 2023 (when you've recorded this video), a 3D printer with an enclosure does not come with a camera and auto Z offset. That is basic stuff that should even come up before heated chamber and input shaper. Subscribed!
Thermal dynamics. And physics theory applied, I understand why the steel nozzle printed pla stronger at higher temps. PLA needs to be printed at a specific temps for maximum layer adhesion which is what was wrong with the first model at default temps. The tool head temp is measured at the heat block, and brass has more even and efficient heating than steel sooo the steel nozzle doesn't reach the target temp as required. This is why temp towers are the best way to identify the optimal temps for a specific material.
I thank you for the first video it was very needed. Many may be hard on you about it, but it was needed. I myself am a QIDI user and am debating if I should go x-max3 or i-fast. BUT any videos you can do on the best way to use PVA would be GREAT!!
Great move on your part unlisting your previous video since they addressed the former issues. I was concerned about that after your first video, and had already ordered its bigger brother....
I think its completely fair that the original review be there.They released the product that way and people deserve to know the type of company they are buying from. Ontop of that all, Qidi has a history of violating open source licenses to a high extent without addition. I think in general people care about history of a company when buying high priced 3d printers. This is obviously less true the cheaper you get, but I think its one of the reasons creality has to sell their machines cheaper to win market share (and you still see it with the notably worse experiences they offer). That being said, this printer appears to now follow rules and be attractive. One thing I didnt see covered was whether it had auto input shaper tuning or pressure advance calibration.
The testing I have seen shows that fiber reinforced fdm prints are not stronger than straight up pla, it mostly helps with stability and warping in higher temp materials. (The lack of fiber connections across layers and the non isotropic strength of the print being the core issues)
This is the most meaningful user review of the latest QIDI machines for me, because of your trials on different materials. One thing I would like to know is the layer thickness you used on the Drain Bamage parts that worked, especially the reinforced ones. Can you share that please?
Looking at how the print using the hardend steel nozzle broke apart the layers had not completely fused together suggesting the nozzle didn't actually reach a high enough temperature.
I actually just ordered the Max 3, which seems to be quite simular, but bigger build volume. As the fimware is Klipper and therefore OpenSource, I wonder if an ERFC could be connected. Setting the z-offset once after a hotend change is something I see no problem with; but no multi material is definitly a downside. Esp. on ABS/ASA/PA12 you mention the overhang are problematic as no partcooling is used. This actually is the reason such a printer should have multi-material capability. If you need very good overhangs with theese materials, using soluble/easy removable supports is a must in my opinion. So it would be realy great adding an ERCF.
Wish this had some way to not need to set z-offset but aside from that it looks like this has all the features I've been looking for and the company has a willigness to address concerns and fix them which is a huge plus. This also fixes some of the concerns I have about Bambu and Creality between the questionable IP stance and theft of IP issues respectively, as well as open-sourcing pretty much all of their software/firmware. As long as you can turn off SSH which it sounds like you can, I may have to pick this up. How easy is maintenance/part replacement or repair? That may be the final decider, if those are possible but a pain to do, I may wait for another similar printer.
I dont know about yall. But i have alot of issues with my xmax2. Dont have alot of bed adhesion issues or anything like that. Just alot of over extrusions and sometimes some layer shifts. It only has like 40 hours on it. I'm prolly about to sell my 2 printers and get the bambu labs x1 carbon.
Love your channel. Just wondering what your experience has been with this machine now that you have had it for a while now. any major issues or reliability problems? Thinking of getting one but cant see alot of reviews on the long term use for this machine. Love some insights if your willing to share
I always enjoy your videos and I've learned a ton from you. Why isn't there a link to your Patreon on the description‽ 😁 I'm a little surprised that the heated chamber is a differentiating feature between this printer and the Bambu X1. I'm suddenly really tempted to buy one…
I'm no scientist or 3d printing expert, but I'm pretty sure that copper transfers heat better, so you can go at "full speed". But when you use the hardened steel nozzle, the initial temperature may be correct internally, but as the printer gets going the heat is transferring to the filament to melt it, but it's not transferring through the metal fast enough to keep up. I think that's why cranking up the temp to 240 works because it compensates for that issue. So in theory, the first filament that gets extruded will be "too hot"... around 240, but once the printer gets going the internal temp is probably closer to 220. So in theory, when printing with the hardened steel nozzle, slowing the print down may also compensate for the issue, allowing more time for the heat to transfer through the heater block into the filament.
Hey, I really value your channel. As a new viewer, I’m getting a ton out of your content. I know you’re taking some time for your health (bravo), but when you get back, would you consider helping me decide between the X-Max 3, the P1S, or the X1C?
is there a variable infill, where you can select where you expect the breakage to occur? in this case, at the inside corners on the U bracket, you could select a variable fill up to 50% or some other % from the normal base % on the rest of the print. This would be helpful.
Qidi apparently honoring the Open Source licenses for firmware and software here is what pushed me over the edge to order the (larger) X-Max3, versus the similar-sized Creality K1 Max, where Creality are illegally refusing to follow the license terms for the software they are shipping, claiming that their modifications are proprietary, last I saw. I didn't discover until after ordering that instead of forking the repositories, they just uploaded a checkout, making it harder to merge their changes back into mainline, for those of us who like to tinker. But following the license terms is the big win here, obscuring the base of their fork is relatively minor, and typically not that hard to work out with a few hours of inspection when I've done that before...
Currently considering the smaller Qidi X-Smart3 as my entry into 3D printing. However, after seeing how Qidi ditched the CF guide rods in favor of steel when addressing the foibles of the Gen 1 X-Plus 3, why did they leave the CF rods in a much smaller printer? They are not replaceable and seem somewhat fragile with respect to nicks and scratches in spite of the increased stiffness of the material Should I be concerned? Could a steel rod revision be slated for this model as well? The printer is certainly slick, but not mature. Raises some doubts. Thoughts?
I think the carbon rods require frequent maintenance, which would be more of a hassle for a larger sized machine. SMART3 is a smaller sized machine and it is easier to maintain the carbon rods. Besides, carbon rods have their benefits.
I heard something about it not being a scientific test? 🤣 Nice breakdown of the printer. Been looking for something capable that is not completely locked down and uses cloud services, like the x1c, with all the security issues that brings.
It's nice when a company listens, kudos to them for fixing the product!
I disagree. A company that produces a product with obvious problems that any reasonable user testing/quality control would not have allowed isn't 'listening to consumers' - it's taking advantage of them. Not to mention using reviewers as proxy beta testers in exchange for free products. It's also disappointing when some reviewers then excuse this behavior when said company resolves such problems after the fact. If reviewers boycotted companies that create sub-par products and told potential consumers to not buy from the company again, this would send a clear signal to companies to stop this nonsense.
Naw, they shouldn't have been selling them. It's fine if they send preproduction versions to the reviewers if they intend on fixing issues before production. Plenty of companies do that. What shouldn't happen is paying customers being beta testers.
More like shame on them for shipping a defective product in the first place
Before you accept the views of these critics, consider also this item posted by another commenter (@AwpShots1, see below for original post):
"right after you posted your old video, qidi reached out to all of the current buyers and offered 2 options, keep the machine and full refund, or keep the machine and 50% refund with full warranty for free parts. they really did right by their customers."
I've NEVER heard of a company offering either of those options to existing customers when a revised version is in the works! Qidi certainly deserves some serious points for that!
@@steveh8724 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
right after you posted your old video, qidi reached out to all of the current buyers and offered 2 options, keep the machine and full refund, or keep the machine and 50% refund with full warranty for free parts. they really did right by their customers.
orca slicer also has built in profiles for the qidi plus 3, they work great and i’ve been using orca exclusively for the past 2 or so months, it’s awesome it has klipper web interface integration right in the slicer
Oh, awesome! I might switch.
I've NEVER heard of a company offering either of those options to existing customers when a revised version is in the works! Qidi certainly deserves some serious points for that!
@@steveh8724 yup, i really couldnt believe it. i ended up taking them up on that partial refund because it didnt really feel right taking a full refund and keeping the machine when really it does work for everything i need it to do. ive yet to use the heated chamber once, and users with the old model report that if youre using it, after about 40 mins of preheating there are no issues whatsoever. qidi has been great sending over every new part that was added to the newer models as well
@@PrintingPress3D Thanks for letting us all know 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
you making this comment has pushed me too QIDI now sounds like great customer service. ive been tossing up between QIDI and Creality K1 Max. so thank you
I purchased the X-Plus3 in April before the redesign. I contacted QIDI Tech to see what they were willing to do for customers that purchased the initial design. It sounds like they are going to ship me a new printer. I'll keep you posted, but QIDI Tech has impressed me so far with their customer service.
If you can share your experiences with the new one that would be awesome. It is on the top of my list for a potential printer upgrade.
What's the word?
Any updates did they follow through?
Just started watching. Props for fixing the printer. Usually the response from most manufacturers is for the unfortunate purchasers to go pound sand.
we are so lucky to have you in the 3d community . thank you
Somehow I have a feeling the whole hand breaking of the test parts was added for no other reason than to allow him to show off his deadweight lifting strength. 😂😂
I was just about to comment the same thing!
😂
Unlisting but not deleting the original video is a classy solution. Kudos!
So awesome that Qidi listened to your feedback, pulled it from market, and implemented necessary changes. Really interested in the xmax3 now.
Love your channel and mix of machining, electronics, CAD, etc and the reviews. I'm thinking that at well under £1000 in the UK, I may well go for one of these. And you have to congratulate Qidi on actually pulling the original printer to sort the issues that you highlighted.
Amazing review! Good to see we have a company that directly listens to their customers!
Another great review. You were the reason why I hesitated to buy Qidi and you will be the reason why I will buy one. You have a great channel, wish you the best.
I am also so impressed with Qidi because they stopped selling it and went through a major revision of the printers before re release. Usually companies still sell the products and then just release a new updated version while causing quite a bit of frustration for the early adopters.
James thank you for your honesty it shows you have great character and the knowledge to judge this printer. Thank You
As a newbie machinist, it's a great pleasure to see you involved in another of my passions with your usual degree of mental discipline. Keep it up!
Thanks for the upload and update!
I've had the X-Max lines and soon to get the latest and I have a couple X1C's and the small tinkering required is not so bad for me when I get their massive build volumes with pretty good/decent quality for some bigger stuff, but the X1C's are where my business does its production for PLA and some ABS ❤
Nice to see they to your advice. Your thoroughness and willingness to work with them makes a compelling argument for them to listen to your inputs. I'm thinking you're going to need a bigger shop at some point in the near future. I'm really hoping to see something on your Avid CNC soon.
I am glad you have an opportunity to have a positive effect on the company. Thanks for the video keep on keeping on.
You're gonna be remembered for changing this company's future
The funny part is I found your non scientific test to be more helpful than a lot of scientific tests I see on other channels (-8
So nice that we can now buy printers of this caliber for these prices!
Cool. When you posted your last video I canceled my X Max 3 pre-order. I’ll go ahead and get a new one on order now.
youre the only reviewer that actually mentioned the fluid console... I was wondering if it was available at launch.... AND checked the base of your model for flatness.... great stuff
The fact that you checked the Github, and told us that it seems like they're complying with the license, just took Qiditech out of my shitlist. I run a 3D Printer repair shop in Florida, and I won't recommend anyone who is violating open source licenses. They've got customers coming from me with this move certainly. I have a few regulars who have been looking for something with an actively heated chamber for a wider range of engineering materials and this looks like it's the printer for them. Thank you for the time spent with the machine, it is crazy appreciated! Do you ever attend any of the RepRap festivals? MRRF, ERRF, being the main two...
Kudos to Qidi for fixing their issues. I’d love to see you try a full tungsten nozzle. It’s just a volcano right? I’m curious to see if you can get better volumetric flow than the steel nozzles.
Orca Slicer now has Qidi configurations built in. Works great!
Thanks for the heads up.
I updated my 4 unit print farm at the beginning of the Covid Debacle. I came very close to buying Qidi because of the excellent specifications. I read the FB group for a while and am so glad I didn't get them. Maybe they are better now but I really dodged a bullet back then. Non serviceable heat break, not enough cooling for the heat break. Nah baby nah. Now to listen to your excellent content.
James….
Your ‘honesty quotient’ is off the charts 👏👏
Great review.
👍
Robert
Thank you. I know that reviewing isn't your main thing but since you pull no punches your opinion is very valuable to me. As a result, I am having fun learning about the X1-C in my den.
I have been using Qidi printers in my printer farm for nearly a decade. "It just works" is the reason why, and it is what I expect from Qidi. I have tried a butt ton of other printers over those years and have just never found anything that is as reliable as my Qidi printers, so they have always ended up getting returned. I am glad to see that they are getting into the fast printing game.
I have a qidi imate -s, was considering purchasing 2-4 qidi max 3's, how many printers are in your farm?
I watched your last review video on this and it was not pretty, there were a lot of issues and what we're they thinking moments with the biggest for me being the non-replaceable carbon fiber guide rods IIRC. But I love that they took your constructive criticism and went back to the drawing board and fix the issues.
It's really great when companies listen to and implement user/tester feedback!! Good on them. I know if I'm ever in the market for a 3d printer they would be one of my first go to's for that very reason.
Great video as always James, thank you for uploading! 👍👍
Edit: spelling
Fantastic review and your channel is going from strength to strength!!! 😎
Outstanding video James! Fantastic 3D printing content. Thank you.
My Xmax 3 arrives tomorrow and I am pumped after seeing this video. Thank you for following up and being so thorough and honest. I really give them credit for listening to their beta testers and making all of these improvements. I really liked the non-scientific strength test of the materials. It is real world when you think about it. No 2 stresses are ever applied exactly the same in the real world. Only in a Lab are such things possible. I was very impressed with the PA12-CF, and will be using that for sure in the future.
How's it holding up?
@@kyky7kyle7 So far so good. Been printing around the clock since Wednesday morning without a single issue or bad print. Their new slicer based on PrusaSlicer is awesome as well. Not a fan of Cura and prefer PrusaSlicer so this is a bonus for me.
Well, may i ask if things went well after an year? :)
As a Bambu fanboi, based solely on this review, I think this printer looks awesome! I wouldn’t even dock it for not having a camera given how easy it is to add one, it’s not like my x1c has the best camera in the world. I haven’t needed a bigger build plate, and so far I’ve been getting great results in ABS. But, if I didn’t think my partner would kill me, I’d definitely buy this as my next printer
Very Respectable Review. Thanks for your honest opinions and for the quality of your videos.
Another point to make for that printer is, and possibly most important, that they care about improving their product and are willing to listen to users to make it better. So many companies put out a product and have no intention changing the product until the next iteration or model, and that's if they ever intend on taking the customer feedback seriously in the first place. This was a great video. Thanks🙂
I was about to order a Voron 2.4R2 kit, but this video has me rethinking... I can't build a Voron for this price in UK, but the spec is comparable and I love the open source software implementations. Qidi really seem to be a company working hard to build a reputation for listening and improving their products quickly. An exchange of messages on Reddit that I had returned numerous replies singing the praises of the company's responsiveness and helpfulness. This is what I personally want to hear. Thanks for the review and insights.
A most excellent review. Well thought out. Thank you
Ya sold me! Ordered mine from your link! Thanks for the good word!
Enjoyed that, great review and glad to see that the company made serious strides in rectifying the issues!
Mine came in yesterday. Setup went very smooth except for Wifi. That took many tries before it worked. Everything else has gone great and the PLA Rapido prints coming off this are amazing using the presets. I have a few more of their filament types but I hadn't tried anything else yet. It's so nice to click start and not wrestle with crap for hours and hours before you get a nice, usable part. Thanks for the follow up review on this. It's too bad they didn't give this one a new name or revision because everyone will confuse it with all the reviews from 3 months ago.
My cf-x pro has been working pretty good for the last 2years
Thanks so much for posting an update - it's great to see the improvements to the frame and heat creep issues. I am surprised that your ABS prints maxed out a flow rate of 12mm3/s even after you raised the temperature above the ABS profile. Do you recall how high your extruder temp was when you were limited to 12mm3/s? Also was that with a standard 0.4mm nozzle? Qidi claims 35mm3/s with their rapido PLA at 240C, so I would hope to get a lot closer to that with high-temp ABS.
Yeah, this was eSun. Their PLA Rapido goes much faster, but I don't know and 35mm3/s. That sounds like a lot.
Windows Vista did have the best version of Aero
Thanks, this was one of the best review videos I've seen recently.
Thanks for the great update and helpful info!
QIDI should be happy with this review.
There's another important point to come from this, the Klipper install, and its accessibility, make this machine useful to Linux users like myself.
In the past, proprietary slicers targeting Windows only, ruled them out for such users. QIDI have created themselves a new market segment and should be recognised for that (notwithstanding open sourcing the firmware and slicer also shows good intentions).
Very informative video, thanks ! Especially nice to see different material tests.
I've got 2 Vorons and 2 older non-working 3d printers, so my wife would have a fit if I tried to buy another, but I really enjoy seeing the advances in the latest printers. I have no doubt that if I hadn't built these 2 Vorons, I'd be buying a Bambu or something like this one. They are so much better out of the box than even just a couple years ago.
I super agree with how amazing the improvements have been. I have a 3 year old Sovol SV01 that mostly works for what I want, though I have had to modify it a good bit. I don't know when I'll buy a new printer, but I'm definitely going to go for one of these super fast models. Tinkering is fun but I also want something that "just works"
Yes, the WAF (woman acceptance factor) definitly is the main issue in 3d printing technology which is not solved for now. Only solution at the moment is to wait until it's solved before getting a wife.
But with 2 Vorons (if at least one of them is a 2.4) I do not realy see the need to buy a Bambu or a X Plus. They are mostly ready2use products for what you already have as diy. You can add an ERCF to a Voron for multi-material and of course you also could add an auxilary fan and an active chamber heater.
@@oleurgast730 Yeah, so long as at least one of my 2 printers can print ASA, I really, really don't need a third printer. It's just awesome looking at the advances. And an ERCF is really tempting, but I think I'm going to let that get a little more mature before I jump on it. I'll probably kick myself for waiting for so long once I do. ;)
@@Raytenecks Actually the AMS from bambu has a big advantage to ERCF and MMU2, as it rewinds filament back to the spool. The "filament buffer" for the AMS is very smal, practicly just telling the AMS to deliver or rewind filament. I realy hope someone reverse engeneer the communication protocoll of the AMS and make it possible to use it with klipper instead of an ERCF. Of course, a solution for perfect filament tip is also to be found, as the cutting bambu does, is done in the printhead...
@@oleurgast730 The principle is very simple, they use a tension spring.
Thx for the update, kudos to the company for listening and adapting, but it is strange they did a bang- bang firmware control for the cabinet heater when it’s quite easy to setup a PID controller for that sort of things.
Good! I ordered one today, thanks for the review.
Always happy when combat robots appear in 3d printing! Good review. I've had a great experience with my lower end Qidi, and as my hobby is combat robotics, and not 3d printing itself, I recommend them to others looking to make small bots, as mine just worked out of the box without a lot of fiddling. We are looking to upgrade into stronger materials, and the Qidi is a strong contender, maybe stronger than Bambu, because of the heating for materials that require it.
Thanks for the good review.
Thank you for the destructive testing (no issues with science, but not using gloves is scary)! Steel nozzle with raised temps is exactly what I'm doing on my Bambu Lab printer for PLA, 245°C was the first section where the "pin" in the temp tower doesn't break off easily. I think that's just the worse heat transfer vs. the copper.
I'm using Orca with the X-Max 3, works great. Never even downloaded the Qidi slicer
also glad you mentioned that last comment about the Xcf was curious how you thought they compare.
Props to all on this.
Previously I was focusing to buy the qidi until i saw your first review. That's when i began to focus on the bambu x1c.
I've not purchased yet, but now I'm excited to see how this review goes 😊 (i just began watching and I'll update my comment here after viewing)
I see you forgot that update 😜
It's very pleasing to companies supporting their products like this. I've been on the verge of buying an X1C for the last couple of weeks, but the QIDI is a better fit for my requirements so I will agonise over this a bit more (built in heated chamber and no cloud integration are significant benefits). Spares look quite reasonably priced as well. The PA12 CF looks amazing!
I would like to see an upgrade kit for the original release version to the working version.
Be interesting to see if they fixed the x-max 3 as well.
Just found your channel. Really excellent down to earth stuff.
Thanks for a good technical review Clough42. As a suggestion for future videos, I've done quick and dirty strength tests between parts by hooking them together so a pair of parts can be loaded and compared in a tournament kind of scheme. Basically a "Last man standing" kind of tournament. Alternatively if parts can be hooked together in a chain you can bust the weakest links one at a time to determine a ranking for each part strength.
It's not really suitable for the bracket type you're busting, but these are expedient means to compare process alternatives without having to deal with strain gauges and more complicated testing setups.
gotta say im really excited to try mine. gonna be 10 days until it arrives
Glad your still making content i guess New law un Canada was keepin you off my algorithme
Great video review James !! Thanks for the share!
I just bought a Qidi X Max 3 and it is outstanding. I am a mechanical engineer and would recommend it to anyone who is wishing to buy. Everything about it works perfectly and it exceeded my expectations.
I wish mine would get delivered already, I am also a mech eng and can't wait to use it haha
I saw it on Amazon for $979, Max 3. Would this model be good for a farm of 4 to 5 models to print small items maybe 4-6 grams/unit for 500-1000 units per month?
Scientific or not this video helped me with an issue I've experienced with printing wood filiment as I bought a .6 hardened steel nozzle for it although I know hardened steel isn't needed for wood I just got it so I could maybe use it for other things anyway my wood prints where very brittle so a after watching this I tried them at a higher temp and now they are much better than before,, thanks👍
Good review, very informative. I don't get that in 2023 (when you've recorded this video), a 3D printer with an enclosure does not come with a camera and auto Z offset. That is basic stuff that should even come up before heated chamber and input shaper. Subscribed!
@Clough42 I agree with you on the Qidi PA12 carbon fiber filament. I use it all the time and really like it because it prints really smooth.
Have been looking to upgrade from my old Geeetech, and this looks like the ticket...ordered!
A really great review looking at the QIDI x-max
Great review
Good points
Thanks for sharing your experience with All of us 👍😀
been waiting for a update on these machines been interested in the xmax3 and heard conflicting info but it seems they updated that model too.
Thermal dynamics. And physics theory applied, I understand why the steel nozzle printed pla stronger at higher temps. PLA needs to be printed at a specific temps for maximum layer adhesion which is what was wrong with the first model at default temps. The tool head temp is measured at the heat block, and brass has more even and efficient heating than steel sooo the steel nozzle doesn't reach the target temp as required. This is why temp towers are the best way to identify the optimal temps for a specific material.
This echos what I’ve heard from others about their customer service. It sounds like they really will work with you to get your problems fixed
im happy to hear
Hey, they fixed it! Your review style and depth is the best here! THX! Now I will order one!
Dig the transparency
I thank you for the first video it was very needed. Many may be hard on you about it, but it was needed. I myself am a QIDI user and am debating if I should go x-max3 or i-fast. BUT any videos you can do on the best way to use PVA would be GREAT!!
I been using OrcaSlicer on my newly built Voron V0.2 and I like it.
great review, thanks 👍
That's not a scientific test. 😉
BTW, the airplane noise is no big deal.
Great move on your part unlisting your previous video since they addressed the former issues. I was concerned about that after your first video, and had already ordered its bigger brother....
I think its completely fair that the original review be there.They released the product that way and people deserve to know the type of company they are buying from.
Ontop of that all, Qidi has a history of violating open source licenses to a high extent without addition.
I think in general people care about history of a company when buying high priced 3d printers. This is obviously less true the cheaper you get, but I think its one of the reasons creality has to sell their machines cheaper to win market share (and you still see it with the notably worse experiences they offer).
That being said, this printer appears to now follow rules and be attractive.
One thing I didnt see covered was whether it had auto input shaper tuning or pressure advance calibration.
It has auto input shaper calibration. No auto pressure advance as far as I know.
The testing I have seen shows that fiber reinforced fdm prints are not stronger than straight up pla, it mostly helps with stability and warping in higher temp materials. (The lack of fiber connections across layers and the non isotropic strength of the print being the core issues)
Would be nice to see you do a comparison between this, the K1 max and Bambu
This is the most meaningful user review of the latest QIDI machines for me, because of your trials on different materials. One thing I would like to know is the layer thickness you used on the Drain Bamage parts that worked, especially the reinforced ones. Can you share that please?
Everything just worked. Pretty much says it all.
Looking at how the print using the hardend steel nozzle broke apart the layers had not completely fused together suggesting the nozzle didn't actually reach a high enough temperature.
Nice review! I'm glad I can deadlift as much as Clough.
Are you 50 years old?
@@Clough42 29 🤣
@@conrad2468 keep it up! Being strong makes everything easier.
I actually just ordered the Max 3, which seems to be quite simular, but bigger build volume.
As the fimware is Klipper and therefore OpenSource, I wonder if an ERFC could be connected. Setting the z-offset once after a hotend change is something I see no problem with; but no multi material is definitly a downside. Esp. on ABS/ASA/PA12 you mention the overhang are problematic as no partcooling is used. This actually is the reason such a printer should have multi-material capability. If you need very good overhangs with theese materials, using soluble/easy removable supports is a must in my opinion. So it would be realy great adding an ERCF.
Wish this had some way to not need to set z-offset but aside from that it looks like this has all the features I've been looking for and the company has a willigness to address concerns and fix them which is a huge plus. This also fixes some of the concerns I have about Bambu and Creality between the questionable IP stance and theft of IP issues respectively, as well as open-sourcing pretty much all of their software/firmware. As long as you can turn off SSH which it sounds like you can, I may have to pick this up. How easy is maintenance/part replacement or repair? That may be the final decider, if those are possible but a pain to do, I may wait for another similar printer.
Great video!! thank you
I dont know about yall. But i have alot of issues with my xmax2. Dont have alot of bed adhesion issues or anything like that. Just alot of over extrusions and sometimes some layer shifts. It only has like 40 hours on it. I'm prolly about to sell my 2 printers and get the bambu labs x1 carbon.
Love your channel. Just wondering what your experience has been with this machine now that you have had it for a while now. any major issues or reliability problems? Thinking of getting one but cant see alot of reviews on the long term use for this machine. Love some insights if your willing to share
I always enjoy your videos and I've learned a ton from you. Why isn't there a link to your Patreon on the description‽ 😁
I'm a little surprised that the heated chamber is a differentiating feature between this printer and the Bambu X1. I'm suddenly really tempted to buy one…
That's how you do a review.👍
I'm no scientist or 3d printing expert, but I'm pretty sure that copper transfers heat better, so you can go at "full speed". But when you use the hardened steel nozzle, the initial temperature may be correct internally, but as the printer gets going the heat is transferring to the filament to melt it, but it's not transferring through the metal fast enough to keep up. I think that's why cranking up the temp to 240 works because it compensates for that issue. So in theory, the first filament that gets extruded will be "too hot"... around 240, but once the printer gets going the internal temp is probably closer to 220.
So in theory, when printing with the hardened steel nozzle, slowing the print down may also compensate for the issue, allowing more time for the heat to transfer through the heater block into the filament.
Hey, I really value your channel. As a new viewer, I’m getting a ton out of your content. I know you’re taking some time for your health (bravo), but when you get back, would you consider helping me decide between the X-Max 3, the P1S, or the X1C?
is there a variable infill, where you can select where you expect the breakage to occur? in this case, at the inside corners on the U bracket, you could select a variable fill up to 50% or some other % from the normal base % on the rest of the print. This would be helpful.
Qidi apparently honoring the Open Source licenses for firmware and software here is what pushed me over the edge to order the (larger) X-Max3, versus the similar-sized Creality K1 Max, where Creality are illegally refusing to follow the license terms for the software they are shipping, claiming that their modifications are proprietary, last I saw.
I didn't discover until after ordering that instead of forking the repositories, they just uploaded a checkout, making it harder to merge their changes back into mainline, for those of us who like to tinker.
But following the license terms is the big win here, obscuring the base of their fork is relatively minor, and typically not that hard to work out with a few hours of inspection when I've done that before...
Currently considering the smaller Qidi X-Smart3 as my entry into 3D printing.
However, after seeing how Qidi ditched the CF guide rods in favor of steel when addressing the foibles of the Gen 1 X-Plus 3, why did they leave the CF rods in a much smaller printer? They are not replaceable and seem somewhat fragile with respect to nicks and scratches in spite of the increased stiffness of the material Should I be concerned? Could a steel rod revision be slated for this model as well? The printer is certainly slick, but not mature. Raises some doubts. Thoughts?
I think the carbon rods require frequent maintenance, which would be more of a hassle for a larger sized machine. SMART3 is a smaller sized machine and it is easier to maintain the carbon rods. Besides, carbon rods have their benefits.
I heard something about it not being a scientific test? 🤣
Nice breakdown of the printer. Been looking for something capable that is not completely locked down and uses cloud services, like the x1c, with all the security issues that brings.
This is not a scientific test. 😂 There, I did it. I hope he's happy.😅