let me add a note from my own experience with this exact model. had some problems right off the bat, clogged extruder, bltouch malfunction, it was a lot of drama. However, QIDI customer service was EXCELLENT, and responsive with answers , videos , suggestions, and even bending over backwards to win my loyalty. I was frankly stunned after the bullshit I had to go through with Creality just a month prior. QIDI is becoming a favorite.
I have been 3D printing for 10 years. I can honestly say these reviews by Aurora Tech are my favourite style of review, covering all technical specs and showing sample prints with a variety of materials, including engineering grade materials. Congrats. Kepp up the GREAT work.
Aurora: You are brilliant - this is your most comprehensive review yet and I have seen them all. Your understanding of subtle issues like mechanical inertial filtering - heavy machine isolates vibrations better, requiring Z Offset adjustment for novice users yet still $1000+, why carbon rods are not preferred over steel even with the inertial penalty and using a 32GB SSD for gcode storage just begins to highlight your review's strength. While you and your team work for me, I sit back and await all the 3D manufacturers to read/hear your suggestions in the "CONs" section so that I can enjoy these improvements for which you keep repeating. BUT all in all, QiDi has a great large and fast 3D printer which I will consider - thanks to you and your team's review.
The automatic Z-offset function does not seem to be that complete, and there are occasional problems. After the leveling card determines the Z-offset, there is generally no need to adjust it. Other machines may require an additional Z-offset process, which will take more time. In addition, KAMP also saves a lot of time for leveling before printing. However, I learned from QIDI after-sales communication that this function should have been tested.
I've been printing for a long time, during which I have owned everything from RepRap to Stratasys and I can confidently say that QiDi's machines are the most well built I have ever seen at the regular consumer level. It's amazing to see what the ordinary man can buy these days. Hopefully they can keep up the quality going forward. Their customer support is also shockingly good for a Chinese brand.
Have you upgraded your hardware yet? The extruder covers were replaced with ones that have fans/extra fans. A small breakout board was added to accommodate the connectors for the new fans. The USB-C cable is defective, you will get a new one of these (don't throw it in your spare parts box thinking that it is an extra. It really does fix a problem) A new bonding wire that goes from the bottom of the bed to the back of the printer. A new inductive sensor for bed leveling. As well as a magnetic sheet to even out the areas of magnetism. A new extruder. A new hotend. And possibly more (or less) depending on where your Qidi sits in the tree Qidi of evolution. :) At first my Qidi was nothing but trouble, but Qidi came through and fixed everything (for free of course). Their support is outstanding!
I've watched all the reviews on the revised X max 3 and I really appreciate you making the suggestions for improvements to Qidi Tech. You are the only one that has really done that. I pulled the trigger on one a few days ago and hope they will implement some if not all of the improvements by the time the second batch ships.
@@librasd8087 not sure if you're asking me or aurara but I'll give you my update since I have it now. The last firmware update seemes to have fix most of the issues. There is no time lapse function unfortunately and I know a lot of users are asking for it so hopefully it will come in the next update. The thumbnails don't always show up when sending a print through fluidd unless you stop the job and restart it. That has been mentioned to the devs as well
Aurora, excellent review. Thank you so much for the deep dive into the QiDi X-MAX 3 features, capabilitlies, test results, pros, cons etc. Your research, 3D printing experience, curiosity, creativity thoughtfulness, teaching is excellent! Thankful for you comments and calibrating the Z axis and more. Nice, fun printing the lightsabers and other tools, games, transformer heart..
Great review as usual! I orderderd one after watching your video. Should be delivered in mid August. Can't wait to get it! Regarding your cons: missing z-offset has been added with firmware 4.3.6 (4/8/2023): -Add automatic screen off function（5min） -Print files are cached to internal storage to increase stability -Fix a filaments unload bug -Add Z-offset set function -Change the leveling logic, no longer reset the Z-offset value
I just received my X-Max 3 the other day, and you seem to have one of the "original" versions. Mine has the carbon filter housing with air-flow holes on the top removable slide in/out cover, while yours has the air-flow holes on the filter housing facing towards the printer front. Also, my bed plate is obviously cast Aluminum, and has 9 magnets in the plate vs. 4 on yours. So far, it's quieter than my X1 Carbon (with AMS) sitting next to it. In fact, it's quite a bit quieter, esp. at the higher speeds (both top off, door open). I'm using Orca Slicer and having Fluidd access under the "Device" tab is great.
Great that you have both this printer and the X1C. Please do tell which one you like better and more importantly...which printer produces better final product results! Thank you for your time in advance.
Your review is spot on. I use Voxel Filaments and it is the best.with great communication and quick shipping. ...and you can't beat the price and shipping cost.
Great review as usual. I would really like to see you create a video on adding a venting/exhaust setup to an enclosed printer like the X1C for example. I stay away from everything except for PLA due to lack of understanding how to properly vent to the outside when using more dangerous filaments like ABS/ASA etc.
Aurora's exactly right... amazing printer, but filament at the back, tedious firmware, incredibly slow leveling and custom software... hopefully they'll do a v2 soon with 16gb and then it'll be the best option for this price and size!
These reviews are always great. Informative, demonstrative and straight forward. I do wonder if it would be possible to have a periodic round-up video where you touch base on some of the cons of the printers you have reviewed in the past months to a year to address whether the companies have fixed the problems that were highlighted. It can be hard to know if these issues are fixed when looking at buying a few months or a year on from when the big batch of reviews come out as most channels don't follow up on those points.
After taking a deep dive into the core xy printers available I've decided to go with the X-Max 3. Your review clinched it for me. 2 hot ends that are relatively easy to swap, easy printing of mundane and exotic filaments, the filament dry box, and heated chamber all sold it for me. The customer service and seemingly honest marketing compared to Creality were big selling points for me, too. Thank you for the great review!
I think my biggest issue with the new Qidi’s is that I miss the dual extruder! The main reason I even considered a Qidi machine was for the dual extruder for use cases where the Bambulab multi-material system was no good because of polymers that would cross-contaminate such as support materials that would lower layer adhesion.
When Creality releases their full klipper firmware upgrade for K1 Max in September, can you do a head to head comparison between this printer and the K1 Max? I and jumping back and forth between these two printers as I plan to do large prints for Cosplay.
Is there any reason not to use the hardened steel head all of the time? I was considering a Qidi previously but another UA-camr, one i trusted, had given it such a terrible review that i passed on it. These newer Qidi he also reviewed and said they did it right this time. Now I'm considering the qidi again. But I'll likely stick with my decision to purchase Bambu Labs because of the AMS. Hoping Bambu will release a larger printer though soon.
It should be noted that the X-Plus 3 and X-Max 3 were withdrawn from sale due to fundamental issues with the design. This relaunch is several months later. While it's commendable that Qidi fixed the problems, the problems indicated they tried to cheap out with the first revision of the design. As Clough42 discovered, they used a plastic frame instead of metal. I have to hope that Qidi has learned their lesson and won't try to cheap out again in the future.
I own an X-Max 3 and it is outstanding. Zero failures, quiet to operate,, excellent results, zero warping, negligable stringing, perfect file transfers over wifi.... etc etc.. I bought mine in July 2023 and love it :) Ps. I have only ever used Qidi's filaments.
the build quality was actually good...most of the design was metal just like the original xmax, the mistake was because they use a heated chamber and didnt compensate for it.... they also went for lightness by using carbon rods.... not hardened metal.... but they changed that back thankfully.. they also added better cooling to the hot end...then . Also reduced the price.. to $999... no doubt because they wanted to win back favour with the public. I'd say they definately learned from it. Ive had an orig. xmax for 3 years and its been great... so has the customer service. They made a mistake, but unlike many companies, they listened to feedback and fixed it..... very rare today. They also gave me $100 credit for paying $1099 for the preorder, then reducing the price to $999 in july These fixes apply to xplus 3 and xmax 3
You briefly explained how one can change the printer.cfg to route files to sdcard. Can you go into details on how to do that? I'm having this same issue with my x max 3. Thank you.
You can mount the USB drive to a folder name(e.g. my16gbusb) and use the new folder name in the printer.cfg [virtual_sdcard] #path: ~/gcode_files path: ~/my16gbusb
Hi Aurora, you might want to fix this on the website description for this machine: 10mm linear rods on X,Y and X axis Another good video that I enjoyed watching. Fun times in the 3D printing industry lately.
I have a X1C, a K1, a KMax, and an Anycubit Kobra 2 (which I love). None of them can produce the detail the things I like to print, like watch movements, require. More reviews of resin printers, with leads to good deals, would be much appreciated.
I think the health issues related with resin plus the not so user friendly steps of the process is the reason for people not buying them and youtubers not reviewing them. The percentage of meh is greater than the fact that they produce better quality prints. So it ends up being a very niche thing, with only those who really need the high detail going for them.
I have a feeling that Qidi is going to make a V2 of their Kilpper printers next year. Seems like the verdict is they are close to making a perfect product, but not quite there.
Could you please you add the link to the light saber stl. Just purchased this 3d printer to print stuff for my grandson's and would love to print the light saber for them. Thanks a bunch!
If you can wait 6 months it seems it will all change with all the new corexy printers coming out. Every week it seems a new one is being sold. That will bring the price down or get you more features for your money. I'm still using my CR10s, A10m and flashforge 3 so when I do get a CoreXY I will most probably sell those and get half the money towards the new machine. If you dont need to rush just hang on. Not only the above but hopefully the machines would have been tweaked to get rid of any problems.
@@radish6691 For Bambu the size and the closed ecosystem. I can't see them not bringing out a large one soon. The Bambu looked massive in images but the build size is what I would call piddly. That would leave the creality Max. Again not a big fan of them anymore for various reasons like false advertising, using open source material but locking theirs down etc.
@@mrfoameruk I guess "large" is relative, as I bought a P1P and X1C after 6 years with a Wanhao i3 clone (200x200x180). Also, the Wanhao's bed bows up in the middle so I mostly printed along the edges. By that standard the Bambu is massive! I love that I can print a helmet that fits my head in a single print. When Bambu comes out with a larger printer I'll probably buy it, though if the Neptune Max was available in the US I might consider that.
@@radish6691 Availability will be an issue as in the UK we have been left behind over other European countries it seems when it comes to whats is available or will become available.
Hi, I just (today) purchased this printer, I Love it, but I am interested in the start gcode, and the modification that you made to prevent the mesh bed leveling from taking up 6 minutes with every print. Did you simply remove the g29 line? Or did you modify it so that it only probes 4 corners and the center? The latter is ideal for my applications. Would you please share any recommendations you have regarding this? Thank you in advance.
Impressive machine. It lacks a few things of some of the competition, but has the heated chamber which in my view is more desirable than the missing features. I am not as into printing fast as I am engineering parts. I think for printing engineering grade materials, this looks better than the Bambu machines or K1 machines.
the heated chamber, bed, and print volume are VERY compelling in that regard imo Very nice options with this printer, X1C and P1S, each compelling in different ways!
No mention about the filament spool at the back? How are you supposed to move a 60lb machine to get access to swap filament easily? That's a huge problem.
Qidi is sending out free upgrade kit, which includes, a new extruder housing (additional cooling), new inductive sensor - instead of the probe sensor, new magnetic bed, and new extruder cable. I set the z offset once, and have not had to releve it again. I have the qidi x-max II, and leveled the z offset almost 2 years ago, and have not had to do it again. So that is such a minor thing to have to do manually once.
Absolutely agreed on Z-offset. It's something that has to be done once per nozzle change, and with nozzles like Diamondbacks on the market which can handle all filaments, it really is a "do it once" deal. Modern printers with auto-Z have to add on nozzle wiping and other measures to get reliable measurements, and even then it still goes wrong from time to time, for something that doesn't change in value unless the nozzle tip wears down (again..certain nozzles address even that). IMO, Auto-Z is one of the fancy new buzzword features where really, for all but the most inexperienced beginners, most times you're better off with the old-school manual once-and-done approach, because there's less things to go wrong.
If you're still using yours, have you had the issue where the extruder slams into the wall and build plate and then get stuck and keeps trying to move?
No, I have never encountered this issue. I'm unsure about the timing of your purchase, but I recommend updating to their latest firmware as it has resolved many bugs. My other x-plus 3, which was part of their initial batch of machines, works quite well after the firmware update, and most of the known issues have been resolved.
17:34 this is why flow tests for each filament would be helpful, 9mmsec for petg is on the very low side. My modded sv06 with meltzone adapter can do 20. Are Qidi being conservative, or is the hotend that weak?
The best review i watched about these type of printers so far, good job! You have any infos about using a mmu unit like the enraged rabbit carrot feeder? I have heard there is one usb on the board left to add a camery easily, can that be true? I also heard people complaining about the 2nd psu for heating up the chamber is way too small and that might cause troubles?
Yes, a camera is just plug-and-play. I plugged in an old Logitech camera, and it worked perfectly fine. That may be the reason why Qidi recommends heating up to a maximum chamber temperature of 55C instead of 65C. I have printed 4 models with the chamber at 55C without any issues.
@@AuroraTech Very good. Well, if its that easy then i dont know why qidi tech is not saying anything about it or just included a camera, for them its no effort to install it and its a great plus for the x-max 3. Anyway, thanks for telling!
Wow nice machine, other than build volume is larger I still like my Carbon x1 better. Thank you for your continued efforts and excellent reviews. 📶 💪 🇺🇸 😎
Could you check your 'tune' in fluidd GUI for me please and tell me what your default bed mesh is? Mines at 0.4591 which looks lumpy and I don't know if maybe that is why I cannot print and maybe need to manually level not tram the bed.
Hello, As a beginner in the world of 3D printing, I am seeking some informed advice. My top priority is print quality and the longevity of the printer, rather than printing speed. If you were to recommend a 3D printer for someone in my situation, which one would you choose among the following options: the BambouLab X1 Carbon, the Prusa Mk4, the Qidi Tech X-Max 3, or any other that you consider a superior option? I would greatly appreciate your insights and personal experiences to help me make an informed decision. By the way, I've been enjoying the clear, sharp, and intuitive videos on your UA-cam channel. Keep up the good work! Thank you in advance for your assistance!
BambuLab X1C, P1S, Prusa MK4, or this X-Max 3 are all good machines. If you need to print with more than one material, get the X1C or P1S. If you want a larger print volume, the X-MAX3 is also a good option. If you just want to get started with a decent small machine, the AnyCubic Kobra 2 Pro is also a good choice. You can check out my recommendation list at auroratechchannel.com. Currently, I have only recommended 7 out of the 100 machines I have tested.
Hello Aurora Tech, great work by the way. question with the VOXEL filament what is the maximun speed you can print on this printing and still have a good quality print ?
Great review. For me, the z-offset setting is a deal breaker now I have used printers with direct nozzle offset calibration and particularly given the tiny space to get big hands in to slide the paper around. Having BLTouch rather than a piece system is also a backward step for me. Until Qidi changes those things, I'll stick with Bambu, but if they do change them, I may well buy one of these
Thanks for the awesome review. Ive been waiting on this one for a while mainly due to klipper anf heated chamber. Do you know if klipper updates are as frequent as the developer releases them (im assuming a delay because they would have to modify the base klipper each time)? Also, do you know if their slicer is in pace with the releases of betas for prusa slicer? I don't know what the benefit is of using skinned slicers, unless im missing something for this printer. I wonder if you can just use base klipper and forgo the screen
It looks like the hotend QidiTech is using for these new printers is very similar to the one on Bambu Labs printers. At least when it come to the Radiator and its mounting holes. Only difference is the actual heater block. If that is the case I wonder if the new BIQU Panda-Revo Hotends will work on these QidiTech printers? I actually won one of the Panda-Revo Hotends. I am just waiting for it to arrive. Since I am thinking about buying this printer I may want to use the Panda-Revo on it. It would make swapping nozzle so much easier. :P
Sorry to ask this on an unrelated video but, I can't remember which video it was of yours I watched when you used Eryone Carbon Fiber PETG. It worked so well for you I got it asap. I was hoping you could share the profile you used? I'm trying to use it on my s1 currently but can't get it to stop stringing.
QUESTION: I am considering one of these high speed printers and have been wondering if when setting up the slice, do I setup the feeds and speeds in the slicer software or is that something that can be handled in the printer firmware so I dont have to create special slicer configs? How does that work?
In your slicer you find "add printer" then find your printer in the list. This will give your slicer all the main settings for your printer automatically. If you're printer is not in the list you can look online for you printer's configuration code and copy and paste it into your slicer configuration file. You will still have to change printing temps and speeds depending on what filament you are printing with. The recommended temp and print speed are usually posted on the spool of filament that you want to use.
So many lame commenters giving a hard pass because it does not do auto Z Offset. I have filaments that need different offsets, the auto systems are only an approximation. You really need to use live baby stepping for a perfect Z Offset.
Using the default 300mm/s profile of the QiDi Slicer: 500mm/s travel, perimeters 300mm/s, external walls 200mm/s, infill 220-270mm/s, first layer 75mm/s
BEWARE!!! They have a warning against using PLA filament with the top cover installed (because you might get a bad print), but there is no warning against using the manual controls, or just starting a print, without the hotbed cover installed (BECAUSE IT CRASHES AND GRINDS UNTIL IT IS TURNED OFF). Apparently that problem affects all of their recent "3" printers. Now I'm hesitating to install a custom-built plate cover that isn't shiny and smooth, too. I just experienced that on a brand-new, factory fresh 2 day old printer with the latest firmware installed. There are posts on Reddit about it, too. The least they can do is make a simple software notice.
I put a notice on the front door "H.B. COVER!" I will replace the hotbed cover, hopefully it's compatible with their "induction probe". I'm guessing that device doesn't require a shiny cover since it supposedly detects metal (not a photosensor). My finger will be on the OFF switch when trying the homemade cover for the first time. The material is magnetic (steel), so probably will work.
Thanks for a thorough review (As usual)! I still like my X1 Carbon Combo better. Hopefully this will push Bambu Lab to build one with a larger build volume sooner. Nice to see other companies upping their game. More and better choices for us.
@@peadookie Now that I have a 3D printer with an AMS unit that also functions as a dry box. I’m not going back! I don’t do that many multicolor prints and when I do the designs are simple so filament waste is minimal. Even for single color printing, it is nice to have 4 colors ready to go without having to do anything at the printer. I have the PLA colors I use most loaded. Changing the spools is quick and easy when I need to.
This X-MAX 3 is more like a standard Klipper firmware on a DIY machine with solid hardware, the hardware itself is better than the P1S and X1C, but it may not work better than BambuLab machines right out of the box. But you can fine-tune the parameters in the printer.cfg to make it work as you prefer. On the other hand, the BambuLab works pretty well most of the time, but you can't customize anything.
@AuroraTech Looks like our 3d printed tools turned out awesome on that printer 👍 I also find that Qidi filament always prints nice. I've been printing a lot of Qidi PA12 lately and the quality has been very consistent. I haven't tried printing in PET-CF yet, would you say it's stronger than PA-CF?
let me add a note from my own experience with this exact model. had some problems right off the bat, clogged extruder, bltouch malfunction, it was a lot of drama. However, QIDI customer service was EXCELLENT, and responsive with answers , videos , suggestions, and even bending over backwards to win my loyalty. I was frankly stunned after the bullshit I had to go through with Creality just a month prior. QIDI is becoming a favorite.
I have been 3D printing for 10 years. I can honestly say these reviews by Aurora Tech are my favourite style of review, covering all technical specs and showing sample prints with a variety of materials, including engineering grade materials. Congrats. Kepp up the GREAT work.
I feel like they give great context!
Yes, all data, no padding, efficient, vastly underrated channel.
Aurora: You are brilliant - this is your most comprehensive review yet and I have seen them all. Your understanding of subtle issues like mechanical inertial filtering - heavy machine isolates vibrations better, requiring Z Offset adjustment for novice users yet still $1000+, why carbon rods are not preferred over steel even with the inertial penalty and using a 32GB SSD for gcode storage just begins to highlight your review's strength. While you and your team work for me, I sit back and await all the 3D manufacturers to read/hear your suggestions in the "CONs" section so that I can enjoy these improvements for which you keep repeating. BUT all in all, QiDi has a great large and fast 3D printer which I will consider - thanks to you and your team's review.
The automatic Z-offset function does not seem to be that complete, and there are occasional problems. After the leveling card determines the Z-offset, there is generally no need to adjust it. Other machines may require an additional Z-offset process, which will take more time. In addition, KAMP also saves a lot of time for leveling before printing. However, I learned from QIDI after-sales communication that this function should have been tested.
I've been printing for a long time, during which I have owned everything from RepRap to Stratasys and I can confidently say that QiDi's machines are the most well built I have ever seen at the regular consumer level. It's amazing to see what the ordinary man can buy these days. Hopefully they can keep up the quality going forward. Their customer support is also shockingly good for a Chinese brand.
Have you upgraded your hardware yet?
The extruder covers were replaced with ones that have fans/extra fans.
A small breakout board was added to accommodate the connectors for the new fans.
The USB-C cable is defective, you will get a new one of these (don't throw it in your spare parts box thinking that it is an extra. It really does fix a problem)
A new bonding wire that goes from the bottom of the bed to the back of the printer.
A new inductive sensor for bed leveling. As well as a magnetic sheet to even out the areas of magnetism.
A new extruder.
A new hotend.
And possibly more (or less) depending on where your Qidi sits in the tree Qidi of evolution. :)
At first my Qidi was nothing but trouble, but Qidi came through and fixed everything (for free of course). Their support is outstanding!
I've watched all the reviews on the revised X max 3 and I really appreciate you making the suggestions for improvements to Qidi Tech. You are the only one that has really done that.
I pulled the trigger on one a few days ago and hope they will implement some if not all of the improvements by the time the second batch ships.
Sounds good give us an update later!
do you have any updates?
@@librasd8087 not sure if you're asking me or aurara but I'll give you my update since I have it now. The last firmware update seemes to have fix most of the issues. There is no time lapse function unfortunately and I know a lot of users are asking for it so hopefully it will come in the next update. The thumbnails don't always show up when sending a print through fluidd unless you stop the job and restart it. That has been mentioned to the devs as well
@@AIIZREVIEWS i was asking to you, thanks for the answer 👍
Aurora, excellent review. Thank you so much for the deep dive into the QiDi X-MAX 3 features, capabilitlies, test results, pros, cons etc. Your research, 3D printing experience, curiosity, creativity thoughtfulness, teaching is excellent! Thankful for you comments and calibrating the Z axis and more. Nice, fun printing the lightsabers and other tools, games, transformer heart..
Great review as usual! I orderderd one after watching your video. Should be delivered in mid August. Can't wait to get it! Regarding your cons: missing z-offset has been added with firmware 4.3.6 (4/8/2023): -Add automatic screen off function（5min）
-Print files are cached to internal storage to increase stability
-Fix a filaments unload bug
-Add Z-offset set function
-Change the leveling logic, no longer reset the Z-offset value
I just received my X-Max 3 the other day, and you seem to have one of the "original" versions. Mine has the carbon filter housing with air-flow holes on the top removable slide in/out cover, while yours has the air-flow holes on the filter housing facing towards the printer front. Also, my bed plate is obviously cast Aluminum, and has 9 magnets in the plate vs. 4 on yours.
So far, it's quieter than my X1 Carbon (with AMS) sitting next to it. In fact, it's quite a bit quieter, esp. at the higher speeds (both top off, door open). I'm using Orca Slicer and having Fluidd access under the "Device" tab is great.
How would does it compare to X1 carbon? I'm just deciding between qidi and p1s now, and I'm a little on the fence
Great that you have both this printer and the X1C. Please do tell which one you like better and more importantly...which printer produces better final product results! Thank you for your time in advance.
Welcome back to Aurora Tech channel. Todaaay...
Your review is spot on.
I use Voxel Filaments and it is the best.with great communication and quick shipping.
...and you can't beat the price and shipping cost.
You guys are the best reviewers period!
Another amazing video. Thank you!
Excellent review! Above all, I find the comparisons to the other printers very valuable.
Great review as usual. I would really like to see you create a video on adding a venting/exhaust setup to an enclosed printer like the X1C for example. I stay away from everything except for PLA due to lack of understanding how to properly vent to the outside when using more dangerous filaments like ABS/ASA etc.
Have just ordered one of these as an upgrade for my old CR10 bedslinger. 32GB EMMC is now available as an add on, as is a Qidi Camera.
Aurora's exactly right... amazing printer, but filament at the back, tedious firmware, incredibly slow leveling and custom software... hopefully they'll do a v2 soon with 16gb and then it'll be the best option for this price and size!
Great review as always and you guys are on the top of reviewers. Thanks for your review and time.
Your analysis is spot on. I hope qidi watches this and follows your advise
These reviews are always great. Informative, demonstrative and straight forward. I do wonder if it would be possible to have a periodic round-up video where you touch base on some of the cons of the printers you have reviewed in the past months to a year to address whether the companies have fixed the problems that were highlighted. It can be hard to know if these issues are fixed when looking at buying a few months or a year on from when the big batch of reviews come out as most channels don't follow up on those points.
After taking a deep dive into the core xy printers available I've decided to go with the X-Max 3. Your review clinched it for me. 2 hot ends that are relatively easy to swap, easy printing of mundane and exotic filaments, the filament dry box, and heated chamber all sold it for me.
The customer service and seemingly honest marketing compared to Creality were big selling points for me, too.
Thank you for the great review!
What a great review :) Keep it up guys. Thanks.
I think my biggest issue with the new Qidi’s is that I miss the dual extruder! The main reason I even considered a Qidi machine was for the dual extruder for use cases where the Bambulab multi-material system was no good because of polymers that would cross-contaminate such as support materials that would lower layer adhesion.
Yes finally. I have been waiting for this review.
That 6mm heated bed 👌👌👌👌👌👌👌
When Creality releases their full klipper firmware upgrade for K1 Max in September, can you do a head to head comparison between this printer and the K1 Max? I and jumping back and forth between these two printers as I plan to do large prints for Cosplay.
Would love to see this as well
Is there any reason not to use the hardened steel head all of the time?
I was considering a Qidi previously but another UA-camr, one i trusted, had given it such a terrible review that i passed on it.
These newer Qidi he also reviewed and said they did it right this time. Now I'm considering the qidi again. But I'll likely stick with my decision to purchase Bambu Labs because of the AMS. Hoping Bambu will release a larger printer though soon.
Which reviewer ?
Very thorough and thoughtful, as usual. Nicely done.
Thanks for doing the single layer test.
It should be noted that the X-Plus 3 and X-Max 3 were withdrawn from sale due to fundamental issues with the design. This relaunch is several months later. While it's commendable that Qidi fixed the problems, the problems indicated they tried to cheap out with the first revision of the design. As Clough42 discovered, they used a plastic frame instead of metal. I have to hope that Qidi has learned their lesson and won't try to cheap out again in the future.
I own an X-Max 3 and it is outstanding. Zero failures, quiet to operate,, excellent results, zero warping, negligable stringing, perfect file transfers over wifi.... etc etc.. I bought mine in July 2023 and love it :) Ps. I have only ever used Qidi's filaments.
If I remember correctly, the X-max3 had the metal frame from the start. Only the X-Plus3 had the warping.
the build quality was actually good...most of the design was metal just like the original xmax, the mistake was because they use a heated chamber and didnt compensate for it.... they also went for lightness by using carbon rods.... not hardened metal.... but they changed that back thankfully.. they also added better cooling to the hot end...then . Also reduced the price.. to $999... no doubt because they wanted to win back favour with the public. I'd say they definately learned from it.
Ive had an orig. xmax for 3 years and its been great... so has the customer service.
They made a mistake, but unlike many companies, they listened to feedback and fixed it..... very rare today.
They also gave me $100 credit for paying $1099 for the preorder, then reducing the price to $999 in july
These fixes apply to xplus 3 and xmax 3
@@johnpelitidis6297 Ive heard amazing stuff re their filament.... have you used their pa12 cf? its supposed to be better than bambu labs
by the way.... they NEVER used a plastic frame.... just the floor base. The rest of the frame has always been metal since version 1.
You briefly explained how one can change the printer.cfg to route files to sdcard. Can you go into details on how to do that? I'm having this same issue with my x max 3. Thank you.
You can mount the USB drive to a folder name(e.g. my16gbusb) and use the new folder name in the printer.cfg
[virtual_sdcard]
#path: ~/gcode_files
path: ~/my16gbusb
Great tip to redirect the GCode files to the USB, I wasn't aware you could do that.
Can you add the link to the light saber stl - Lover your reviews
Besides the detailed and well structured review script, the added bonus is her soothe and calm voice. ❤
Hi, thanks for the review, now I would be very interested to see an updated review of the refresh of the qidi x plus 3 🙂
Refresh?
Hi Aurora, you might want to fix this on the website description for this machine: 10mm linear rods on X,Y and X axis
Another good video that I enjoyed watching. Fun times in the 3D printing industry lately.
Thanks, just fixed the typo :)
Please test out the new Qidi Plus 4! Looking forward to your review. :)
what would u recommend setting wise? speed and stuff like that
I have a X1C, a K1, a KMax, and an Anycubit Kobra 2 (which I love). None of them can produce the detail the things I like to print, like watch movements, require. More reviews of resin printers, with leads to good deals, would be much appreciated.
They review whatever they get for free.
@@radish6691 not true. Ms. Lung has said many times that she "bought this with my own money." I believe her.
@@corlissmedia2.0 3:15 "I would like to thank QiDi for sending us this machine to review". Which printers did they buy with their own money?
I think the health issues related with resin plus the not so user friendly steps of the process is the reason for people not buying them and youtubers not reviewing them. The percentage of meh is greater than the fact that they produce better quality prints. So it ends up being a very niche thing, with only those who really need the high detail going for them.
@@radish6691 look at their other videos. They say exactly what is sponsored and what is purchased with their own money.
Would you say that the K1 Max is better then?
I have a feeling that Qidi is going to make a V2 of their Kilpper printers next year. Seems like the verdict is they are close to making a perfect product, but not quite there.
This is crazy close and considering it didn’t have a smooth development cycle I too have high hopes for Qidis next generation.
Didn't age well unfortunately
Not sure how I feel about the air tight filament box. It comes with a pack of defecant. Desiccant would be preferrable. lol
The big titanic print is awesome
Best Reviews for printers
Could you please you add the link to the light saber stl. Just purchased this 3d printer to print stuff for my grandson's and would love to print the light saber for them. Thanks a bunch!
If you can wait 6 months it seems it will all change with all the new corexy printers coming out. Every week it seems a new one is being sold. That will bring the price down or get you more features for your money. I'm still using my CR10s, A10m and flashforge 3 so when I do get a CoreXY I will most probably sell those and get half the money towards the new machine. If you dont need to rush just hang on. Not only the above but hopefully the machines would have been tweaked to get rid of any problems.
Why wait? I’ve been enjoying my 2 Bambu printers for 6 months. They’re both printing multicolor prints right now in fact.
@@radish6691 For Bambu the size and the closed ecosystem. I can't see them not bringing out a large one soon. The Bambu looked massive in images but the build size is what I would call piddly. That would leave the creality Max. Again not a big fan of them anymore for various reasons like false advertising, using open source material but locking theirs down etc.
@@mrfoameruk I guess "large" is relative, as I bought a P1P and X1C after 6 years with a Wanhao i3 clone (200x200x180). Also, the Wanhao's bed bows up in the middle so I mostly printed along the edges. By that standard the Bambu is massive! I love that I can print a helmet that fits my head in a single print. When Bambu comes out with a larger printer I'll probably buy it, though if the Neptune Max was available in the US I might consider that.
@@radish6691 Availability will be an issue as in the UK we have been left behind over other European countries it seems when it comes to whats is available or will become available.
Hi, I just (today) purchased this printer, I Love it, but I am interested in the start gcode, and the modification that you made to prevent the mesh bed leveling from taking up 6 minutes with every print. Did you simply remove the g29 line? Or did you modify it so that it only probes 4 corners and the center? The latter is ideal for my applications. Would you please share any recommendations you have regarding this? Thank you in advance.
This was actually a great review. Well done.
Impressive machine. It lacks a few things of some of the competition, but has the heated chamber which in my view is more desirable than the missing features. I am not as into printing fast as I am engineering parts. I think for printing engineering grade materials, this looks better than the Bambu machines or K1 machines.
the heated chamber, bed, and print volume are VERY compelling in that regard imo
Very nice options with this printer, X1C and P1S, each compelling in different ways!
No mention about the filament spool at the back? How are you supposed to move a 60lb machine to get access to swap filament easily? That's a huge problem.
Qidi is sending out free upgrade kit, which includes, a new extruder housing (additional cooling), new inductive sensor - instead of the probe sensor, new magnetic bed, and new extruder cable. I set the z offset once, and have not had to releve it again. I have the qidi x-max II, and leveled the z offset almost 2 years ago, and have not had to do it again. So that is such a minor thing to have to do manually once.
Absolutely agreed on Z-offset. It's something that has to be done once per nozzle change, and with nozzles like Diamondbacks on the market which can handle all filaments, it really is a "do it once" deal. Modern printers with auto-Z have to add on nozzle wiping and other measures to get reliable measurements, and even then it still goes wrong from time to time, for something that doesn't change in value unless the nozzle tip wears down (again..certain nozzles address even that). IMO, Auto-Z is one of the fancy new buzzword features where really, for all but the most inexperienced beginners, most times you're better off with the old-school manual once-and-done approach, because there's less things to go wrong.
Thank you very much for this incredible detailed review! 🤗
Can you do a review on flsun s1 compared to a bambulab or this, i cant decide between the s1 or xmax
How would this compare to the upcoming peopoly magneto x
So does it have only one part cooling fan? Ignoring the auxiliary one that is. How does that even work?
If you're still using yours, have you had the issue where the extruder slams into the wall and build plate and then get stuck and keeps trying to move?
No, I have never encountered this issue. I'm unsure about the timing of your purchase, but I recommend updating to their latest firmware as it has resolved many bugs. My other x-plus 3, which was part of their initial batch of machines, works quite well after the firmware update, and most of the known issues have been resolved.
17:34 this is why flow tests for each filament would be helpful, 9mmsec for petg is on the very low side. My modded sv06 with meltzone adapter can do 20. Are Qidi being conservative, or is the hotend that weak?
yeah need flow calibration nobody runs petg at 20 mm flow not bambu not creality. bambu sets generic to 10mm not sure on creality
and the hot end is able do 35mm flow so stronger than bambu and creality at 32mm but that is for pla
The best review i watched about these type of printers so far, good job! You have any infos about using a mmu unit like the enraged rabbit carrot feeder? I have heard there is one usb on the board left to add a camery easily, can that be true? I also heard people complaining about the 2nd psu for heating up the chamber is way too small and that might cause troubles?
Yes, a camera is just plug-and-play. I plugged in an old Logitech camera, and it worked perfectly fine. That may be the reason why Qidi recommends heating up to a maximum chamber temperature of 55C instead of 65C. I have printed 4 models with the chamber at 55C without any issues.
@@AuroraTech Very good. Well, if its that easy then i dont know why qidi tech is not saying anything about it or just included a camera, for them its no effort to install it and its a great plus for the x-max 3. Anyway, thanks for telling!
What are you using for ABS bed adhesion in this video ?
Great review, thanks!
Great review again, the bed leveling with the paper sheet looks quite dangerous for your wrist
You wouldn’t happen to know what style nozzle that is? I have one and not sure what nozzle to get for the upgrade.
Wow nice machine, other than build volume is larger I still like my Carbon x1 better. Thank you for your continued efforts and excellent reviews. 📶 💪 🇺🇸 😎
Bamboo x1 or this?
Do you have a preference between the qidi xmax 3 or the bamboo labs x1?
Could you check your 'tune' in fluidd GUI for me please and tell me what your default bed mesh is? Mines at 0.4591 which looks lumpy and I don't know if maybe that is why I cannot print and maybe need to manually level not tram the bed.
Hello,
As a beginner in the world of 3D printing, I am seeking some informed advice. My top priority is print quality and the longevity of the printer, rather than printing speed.
If you were to recommend a 3D printer for someone in my situation, which one would you choose among the following options: the BambouLab X1 Carbon, the Prusa Mk4, the Qidi Tech X-Max 3, or any other that you consider a superior option?
I would greatly appreciate your insights and personal experiences to help me make an informed decision. By the way, I've been enjoying the clear, sharp, and intuitive videos on your UA-cam channel. Keep up the good work!
Thank you in advance for your assistance!
BambuLab X1C, P1S, Prusa MK4, or this X-Max 3 are all good machines. If you need to print with more than one material, get the X1C or P1S. If you want a larger print volume, the X-MAX3 is also a good option. If you just want to get started with a decent small machine, the AnyCubic Kobra 2 Pro is also a good choice. You can check out my recommendation list at auroratechchannel.com. Currently, I have only recommended 7 out of the 100 machines I have tested.
@AuroraTech would you recommend the Creality K1 Max for the same use case?
Hello Aurora Tech, great work by the way. question with the VOXEL filament what is the maximun speed you can print on this printing and still have a good quality print ?
I won't print anything at the maximum speed but using the default PLA profile in QiDi slicer and print at around 300mm/s looks pretty good to me.
Quite tough to choose between X-Max 3 or K1 Max :/
Whichever has the best deal at time of purchase or just go with the heated chamber.
@auroratech Which mid range (£800 avg), core xy, enclosed printer do u recommend?
I wonder what it takes to connect a webcam like shown in the video? I have a bunch of old webcams laying around
The majority of webcams should be plug-and-play with Klipper. You don't need to install any drivers or do anything else at all.
Great review.
For me, the z-offset setting is a deal breaker now I have used printers with direct nozzle offset calibration and particularly given the tiny space to get big hands in to slide the paper around.
Having BLTouch rather than a piece system is also a backward step for me.
Until Qidi changes those things, I'll stick with Bambu, but if they do change them, I may well buy one of these
Thanks for the awesome review. Ive been waiting on this one for a while mainly due to klipper anf heated chamber. Do you know if klipper updates are as frequent as the developer releases them (im assuming a delay because they would have to modify the base klipper each time)? Also, do you know if their slicer is in pace with the releases of betas for prusa slicer? I don't know what the benefit is of using skinned slicers, unless im missing something for this printer. I wonder if you can just use base klipper and forgo the screen
Yeah, it based on the latest Prusa version.
Hi Aurora, thank you for this video. I love your videos and watch them all. One small note on this one: you never mention the build volume. Cheers
Build volume was displayed near the start.
Can this printer restart after a power loss? I'm having trouble.
Anyone know if they have fixed the screen compatibility issues? Have they enabled ota updates?
It looks like the hotend QidiTech is using for these new printers is very similar to the one on Bambu Labs printers. At least when it come to the Radiator and its mounting holes. Only difference is the actual heater block.
If that is the case I wonder if the new BIQU Panda-Revo Hotends will work on these QidiTech printers?
I actually won one of the Panda-Revo Hotends. I am just waiting for it to arrive. Since I am thinking about buying this printer I may want to use the Panda-Revo on it. It would make swapping nozzle so much easier. :P
very good review.
This video is a year old. Have they addressed any of the cons you pointed out?
Does the X plus 3 come with the same thick aluminum bed?
No, the X-Plus 3 just comes with a standard heated bed, similar to other budget machines.
Can you please review Kingroon KLP1? For the price value it looks very tempting to buy coz its the cheapest core xy printer I found
A bit dodgy, that. Maybe try the Flashforge 5M.
How many Kg will I need to print an RC body that’s 800 mm 300 mm x 200 mm ? Are there calculators out there?
Sorry to ask this on an unrelated video but, I can't remember which video it was of yours I watched when you used Eryone Carbon Fiber PETG. It worked so well for you I got it asap. I was hoping you could share the profile you used? I'm trying to use it on my s1 currently but can't get it to stop stringing.
I just use the standard PLA profile with these changes:
1. 225C(Nozzle) / 85C (bed)
2. Cooling (OFF or 20%)
@@AuroraTech Thank you! I'll dry my spool and give it another shot
QUESTION: I am considering one of these high speed printers and have been wondering if when setting up the slice, do I setup the feeds and speeds in the slicer software or is that something that can be handled in the printer firmware so I dont have to create special slicer configs? How does that work?
In your slicer you find "add printer" then find your printer in the list. This will give your slicer all the main settings for your printer automatically. If you're printer is not in the list you can look online for you printer's configuration code and copy and paste it into your slicer configuration file. You will still have to change printing temps and speeds depending on what filament you are printing with. The recommended temp and print speed are usually posted on the spool of filament that you want to use.
Everything a review should be.
So many lame commenters giving a hard pass because it does not do auto Z Offset. I have filaments that need different offsets, the auto systems are only an approximation. You really need to use live baby stepping for a perfect Z Offset.
I hate auto z offset, I like to decide on the amount of squish and auto z offset in my experience doesn't squish enough and is not adjustable.
What speed was used for the prints on the video?
Using the default 300mm/s profile of the QiDi Slicer:
500mm/s travel, perimeters 300mm/s, external walls 200mm/s, infill 220-270mm/s, first layer 75mm/s
This vs the k1 max?
I want one. The reel in the back is a no go though. Changing the spool shouldn't be a pita.im physically unable to spin it
BEWARE!!!
They have a warning against using PLA filament with the top cover installed (because you might get a bad print), but there is no warning against using the manual controls, or just starting a print, without the hotbed cover installed (BECAUSE IT CRASHES AND GRINDS UNTIL IT IS TURNED OFF).
Apparently that problem affects all of their recent "3" printers. Now I'm hesitating to install a custom-built plate cover that isn't shiny and smooth, too.
I just experienced that on a brand-new, factory fresh 2 day old printer with the latest firmware installed. There are posts on Reddit about it, too. The least they can do is make a simple software notice.
I put a notice on the front door "H.B. COVER!"
I will replace the hotbed cover, hopefully it's compatible with their "induction probe". I'm guessing that device doesn't require a shiny cover since it supposedly detects metal (not a photosensor). My finger will be on the OFF switch when trying the homemade cover for the first time. The material is magnetic (steel), so probably will work.
Kindly send the software used by Qidi Xmax 3
Thanks for a thorough review (As usual)! I still like my X1 Carbon Combo better. Hopefully this will push Bambu Lab to build one with a larger build volume sooner. Nice to see other companies upping their game. More and better choices for us.
May I ask why you like it better?
@@peadookie Now that I have a 3D printer with an AMS unit that also functions as a dry box. I’m not going back! I don’t do that many multicolor prints and when I do the designs are simple so filament waste is minimal. Even for single color printing, it is nice to have 4 colors ready to go without having to do anything at the printer. I have the PLA colors I use most loaded. Changing the spools is quick and easy when I need to.
@@cbgslinger much appreciated, helps in the decision for me!
@@peadookie You are most welcome.
Hey :) Great video! Can you pls link the 3D model at 9:20min ?
Sure, just added the link:
Fidget Cube
cults3d.com/en/3d-model/game/fidget-cube-remix
If they could fix that hot end situation it would be the perfect printer
The ship also didn't print with couple at the bow tip of the ship 😅
If anyone sees this, would you recommend this over the p1s or x1c
This X-MAX 3 is more like a standard Klipper firmware on a DIY machine with solid hardware, the hardware itself is better than the P1S and X1C, but it may not work better than BambuLab machines right out of the box. But you can fine-tune the parameters in the printer.cfg to make it work as you prefer. On the other hand, the BambuLab works pretty well most of the time, but you can't customize anything.
@@AuroraTech thank you
Great video. always appreciated !
patiently waiting on the K1 Max review
Coming this week
@AuroraTech Looks like our 3d printed tools turned out awesome on that printer 👍
I also find that Qidi filament always prints nice. I've been printing a lot of Qidi PA12 lately and the quality has been very consistent. I haven't tried printing in PET-CF yet, would you say it's stronger than PA-CF?
While PET has higher stiffness, while Nylon offers better impact resistance, so, I guess PA-CF would be a better option for printing your tools.
Hello Aurora , thanks a lot from France. Just a question : do you think that it is acceptable to use glue in 2023 ? I do not ...
I printed it with QIDI PLA Rapido, and it sticks very well. No need to use glue. It may be the reason of different materials.
Yes, I use glue stick a lot in 3d printing.
When I was this age, I struggled to do 1-2 page book reports.