The Qidi Technology X One 2 is one of QIDI Technologies’ better offerings. It is a pretty reasonable printer that is affordable at a much better price than the bulk of its competition.
The Qidi technology X machine holds its own in terms of both print qualities as well as various cutting-edge capabilities against other models that can cost even up to 2 to 4 times as much as the One2. This makes it a pretty endearing option for anyone on a tight budget.
The Chinese company Qidi Technology has been around for about 8 years or so and it has now become renowned for its enclosed line of FDM Qidi 3D printers. These machines are deemed ideal for both the hobbyist as well as the semi-professional.
The company has perfected the art of balancing affordability with a high level of versatility. It has done so by including a vast array of sought-after and useful features that are usually found in much more expensive offerings.
The Qidi Technology X One 2 is a state of the art and extremely compact 3D printer that has its follow-up version in the form of the little budget best-seller (viz.) Qidi Technology X One.
Qidi Tech X One 2 Review: True Plug And Play Capability
The Qidi Technology X One2 is a real plug and play 3D printer. Unlike many unassembled ‘do it yourself’ (DIY) or even semi-assembled kits, you can get this sweet little number up and running in no time at all! As a matter of fact, it takes less than an hour to unbox, hook up, and simply start printing your desired 3D objects.
This is due to the fact that this machine comes completely pre-assembled. Here, all you have to do is to feed the machine some filament material and go on to level the printing bed.
However, it is pertinent to note that the Qidi Technology X One2 does not feature the auto-bed leveling feature. This means you will have to spend some time to do the job on your own. However, it is not particularly difficult as a detailed step by step instruction manual is supplied with the printer.
Enclosed Printing Space
The enclosed frame of the Technology X One2 is a great safety feature since the heated bed and extruder cannot be accidentally touched, as such. Apart from that, the machine also has lots of heavily insulated wires to make it both safe and secure. Taken together, these two features make it an ideal printer for young students and even children new to the exciting world of 3D printers.
The enclosed space also aids in retaining temperatures to the desired level and makes printing not only much more predictable but also very reliable too. This machine is very easy to operate and has minimal controls so that even a novice would be able to operate it easily enough.
Apart from that, the enclosed space also aids in protecting the surroundings from potentially harmful fumes.
Even though the Technology X One2 printer is not completely enclosed because it does not have a top cover, the semi encasement still works pretty well. At least it improves the probability of a successful print job, especially when it comes to temperature-sensitive materials. And it also protects both the build and the builder from prying fingers.
Small Build Area
This is more of a smallish printer and it is not possible to create large cosplay props and professional tools. However, it is often considered ideal for small-sized miniatures. But with a total build volume of 145 x 145 x 145 mm, you would be hard put to make anything large with it. However, you will be able to make some pretty cool miniatures with it. Apart from that, you can also use it to build small parts too.
Great for Beginners
Just like its previous models, the good people at Qidi Tech also want the Technology One2 to provide as comprehensive a printing ecosystem as possible, while also making it very easy to use.
The Qidi Technology X One2 comes suitably well-equipped with a fairly large 3.5-inch touchscreen interface that is both easy to see as well as easy to use. It has multiple easily recognizable icons that are all very responsive to the touch. This makes the operation of the machine an absolute breeze.
This interface also shows a very large number of parameters and the more important ones are print bed temperature as well as overall print progress. Both of them are prominently displayed on the screen.
The Qidi Tech X One 2 comes with an SD card that carries a large number of test prints to help you get you started. Moreover, the proprietary slicer software (known as Qidi Print) also supports a large variety of really powerful features and functions. Add to that the fact that the Qidi Technology X One2 is basically an open-source rig, which means you can easily use any slicer engine you like.
Heated Bed
The Qidi Tech X One2 is equipped with a state of the art heated print bed. It has been constructed out of tough aluminum alloy and comes with its own PEI covered surface. This option extends the possibilities of this 3D printer and it enables it to print various temperature-sensitive materials including ABS, PLA or even PETG.
The One2 is a chip off the old Qidi Tech 3D printer block and it is also equipped with the same kind of open material system as its other counterparts. It is very easy to use and allows the user to experiment with all kinds of different brands, makes, and materials.
Print Material Compatibility
We have to consider print material compatibility during this review so as to understand the true capability of this printer.
This particular model is fully compatible with any sort of generic 1.75mm filament. This printer’s extruder is capable of hitting a peak temperature of 250°C. Since it has a heated printbed it can warm-up very quickly. The printbed itself is capable of reaching around 120°C.
In laymen’s terms, it gives the user a fairly decent selection of different yet compatible filaments, such as PVA, PLA, ABS, or HIPS, to name but a few only.
Cooling Fan
Apart from the above, this product also includes a high quality and high power fan that will help in the active cooling of your 3D prints on your build plate.
This printer also has the capability of working with various types of upgraded slicers in lieu of the manufacturer’s Cura slicer engine, irrespective of its build volume.
Community and Customer Support
The printer has been around for a couple of years so word has gotten around and there is plenty of community support for this little Qidi number. There are plenty of build designs available on 3D printing resource sites. You can also glean a lot of information from the Qidi X One community forums and there are also plenty of videos around that can help you tweak your machine to the optimum.
Finally, Qidi doesn’t have very responsive customer support set up unlike its competitors, but you can still call them or drop them an email and they would be sure to respond.
Of course, no review can ever be complete without details regarding the advantages and disadvantages of a product.
Pros
This printer has a lot going for it. Some of its key stellar features include the following ones:
- Great overall value for its price
- Truly outstanding customer service
- Large touchscreen display and navigation
- Heated print bed
- Rock-solid aluminum frame
- Good print quality
- Ready to use
- Plug and play operation
- Easy to use
- Ideal for beginners, tinkerers, and hobbyist
- Compatible with many third-party filaments
- Open source and therefore seamless compatibility with multiple slicer engines
- Comes with all the tools necessary for routine maintenance
While it is a great machine in its own right, it nonetheless has certain issues that require work.
Cons
- Very limited build area
- The user manual is not easy to understand
- Loading different filament can be a real challenge
- Prints can sometimes turn out to be very tricky to remove from the build plate area
Let us take a quick look at the technical specs in this Qidi 3D printer review:
Tech Specs
- Assembly: Comes pre-assembled
- Technology: Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
- Manufacturer: Qidi Tech
- Mechanical arrangement: Cartesian XY-head
- Year: 2018
- Made in: China
3D Printer Properties
- Build volume: 145 x 145 x 145 mm
- Nozzle size: 0.4 mm
- Feeder system: Direct drive
- Maximum hot end temperature: 250 ℃
- Print head: Single nozzle
- Maximum heated bed temperature: 110 ℃
- Filament sensor: Yes
- Bed leveling: Manual only
- Print bed material: PEI
- Camera: No
- Connectivity: SD card
- Frame: Aluminum
- Print recovery: Yes
Printing Materials
- Filament diameter: 1.75 mm
- Filament materials: Most popular consumer materials (ABS, PLA, PETG, Flexibles, etc.)
- Third-party filament: Yes
Software
- Recommended slicer: Cura Qidi Print,
- Operating system: Mac OSX, Windows,
- File types: OBJ and STL
Dimensions and Weight
- Weight: 19 kg
- Frame dimensions: 380 × 320 × 360 mm
Who is it good for?
This is the ideal easy to use machine for the newbie who has taken to the world of 3D printing for the very first time. Apart from that, it is also a great choice for children and students due to its enclosed design. It is a small desktop 3D printer that can be a wonderful way of introducing your kids to 3D printers due to its plethora of safety measures.
In fact, it because of the likes of the Ender series and Qidi X that people have now started enjoying 3D printers on their own, instead of observing them only in science fiction movies.
If you are a hobbyist and love building miniatures than this is just the right machine for you. Not only will you be able to enjoy good quality prints, but you will be able to do so in an atmosphere relatively free of harmful fumes and gases.
Finally, its low price tag makes it affordable for both the home and the workshop alike. All in all, this is a great entry-level printer that will give you hours of 3D building pleasure, before you outgrow it and move on to bigger and better models.
Who is it not good for?
The key term to understand is that this is an ‘entry-level’ printer. This is because that is exactly what it is. If you are looking for something in the professional category, this is definitely not the one for you.
Professional level printers are a completely different kettle of fish altogether and are also priced accordingly. For example, the Prusa i3 MK3S offers a whole array of functions and features that are not available with this Qidi offering.
Of course, a budget printer won’t be able to compare with the kind of functionality that you can find with an above $1000 printer. Its small print volume coupled with low res quality as well as longer print times makes it incompatible with most high-end business and professional applications.
Furthermore, if you are a really dedicated cosplay enthusiast, you would be better off getting something bigger and faster. The One2 won’t be able to give you the volume and the speed you want for all of your cosplay prop creations
Finally, this printer is not meant to work 24/7 or even for an extended period of time. It can ease you into the world of 3D printing, but if you want to make a living out of it, you are better off with a bigger more powerful 3D printer.
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Conclusion
We would conclude this review by stating the obvious: This 3D printer Qidi Tech One2 is a really neat option for anyone who wants a 3D printer on a very low budget. It will create fairly decent prints and is one of the easiest printers around when it comes to ease of operation.
Yes. It lacks a bit in the customer support department compared to other brands such as the FlashForge Finder, Creality, Monoprice, or any other platform available at Amazon.
But the support is definitely there, even if it’s late in responding to your queries. It has a small build volume sure, but this product is still the best bang for the buck if you are ok with these minor drawbacks.
