Qidi Tech 1 Rated
- Print Quality
- User Experience
- Ease of Use
- Durability
- Value for Money
Craft Schmaft Verdict
We love the Qidi Tech 1 Dual Extruder! It’s one of the best 3D printers for beginners as well as more committed enthusiasts.
There is a learning curve to master here, but there’s no doubt that it’s a well built, quality machine that offers plenty of versatility.
The Qidi Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop is one of our favorite 3d printers for beginners.
Its cost, features, and ease of use make it an admirable machine worth that just a glance when shopping around for the perfect 3D printer for your home.
This Qidi printer prides itself on its clean cuts. Its parent company has specific software meant to make the 3D modeling process easier available to those who want it.
The task of putting the machine together — and it truly is a task– allows future users to grow more familiar with a printer that lives up to its descriptive name.
We’ll share all the details and our review of the Qidi Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer with you to let you decide whether or not this is the printer for you.
Let’s get straight into it.
Contents
QIDI Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer: The Details
Let’s get started with some data.
Specs
- Weight: 55.1 lbs
- Dimensions: 18.3 x 12.6 x 14.8 inches
- Print Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 6 inches
- Filament Types: PLA, ABS, PVA and HIPS
- Ready to Print?: Mostly put together, but requires a bit of construction
- Compatibility: Works well with GNU/Linux, Windows, and Mac
- Warranty: No extended warranty, but responsive customer service.
How Does It Work?
To begin a 3D print, you need a design. The Qidi Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer has its own preferred software through MakerBot which works on GNU/Linux, Windows, and Macs.
When creating a model to be printed, you can design your own in the provided software or move to other programs including Tinkercad, SketchUp, or Blender — the last of which is better for more experienced or ambitious printers.
Alternatively, if you don’t want to design a print, you can browse the catalogue of pre-existing models shared online at thingiverse.com.
The process of printing requires you to digitally slice your model within the software, then transfer it to your printer to be created.
You can connect to the Qidi Dual Extruder Desktop Printer via USB or SD cable.
Make sure that the printer is stocked with your preferred filament — ABS and PLA filament are provided in the box for you to get started with — and that the build platform is level. This will ensure that your project is printed accurately.
Once you’ve transferred your design to the printer, and mounted your filament onto the spool holder, you will need to adjust the printer’s setting, which will vary between filament types. You can do this on the printer’s keypad.
The extruder will then heat up and start to print your design onto the build plate. You can use a single extruder for a single color and the dual extruder for two colors.
Once printed, you will need to remove your project from the build platform, being careful not to burn yourself on the platform or the extruder nozzle.
All done!
The full manual and instructions for the Qidi 3DP-QDA16-01 3d printer can be found here.
Accessories
The Qidi Technology Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer comes in a box with the following:
- Two filament spools: silver ABS and green PLA.
- Spool holders.
- Painter’s tape.
- Power cable.
- One USB cable.
- 4GB SD card.
- Filament tubes.
- Wiring harnesses.
- A toolbox that includes assembly tools and fasteners.
- Manual instructions.
Qidi Dual Extruder Features
Temperature Controlled Space
Humidity and the environment around a 3D printer can all impact how a print turns out.
Luckily, the Qidi Tech 1 does its best to keep the printer itself temperature controlled, promoting improved prints without warping or runny plastic.
When working with ABS, you won’t have to do a thing — the printer will take care of everything for you. When working with PLA, though, take care to make use of the printer’s ventilation turbo fan — your print will thank you for the attention!
Heat Resistant Metal Platform
Similarly, the Qidi Tech Dual Extruder 3D printer’s print plate is made out of heat resistant metal — aviation level aluminium to be exact — making them all the more stable as the printer builds up your print.
Less sturdy platforms can warp under the heat of a 3D printer’s nozzle, so it’s all the better for you if the platform can stand the test of several prints.
Take care not to leave your print on the platform for long after it’s done, though — you don’t want it to get stuck!
Dual Extruder
Then comes the pièce de résistance: the printer’s dual extruder.
This dual extruder 3D printer allows you to use two types of filament on one product. This means that there are all sorts of opportunities to embrace creative freedom and customize your project.
Want to do something as simple as use two colors in a print? The Qidi Dual Extruder lets you do that.
Want to use ABS and PLA at the same time? You can do that too.
A dual extruder is a real perk when it comes to 3D printing, one that the Qidi Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop is happy to take advantage of.
Fully Metal External Frame
Another way that the Qidi Tech Dual Extruder stands out from cheaper 3D printers on the market is by how sturdy and stable it feels.
That’s thanks to the full metal frame with no weak links. It not only looks better, but feels much more durable than the cheaper printers made with a wooden frame and PVC build platform.
Here’s a good video tour around the printer to give you some idea of what it looks like:
Qidi Technology Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer Review
With those details in mind, how does the Qidi Tech 3DP-QDA16-01 3D Printer stack up against its competitors?
The Positives
Well-Cut Products
The most important thing to note about the Qidi Tech 1 is that it’s of a very high quality, delivering products with clean edges and little filament residue, just as a 3D printer should.
There may still be need for a little touch up work with an X-ACTO knife, but prints won’t come out botched due to an underheated nozzle — something that’s sadly common for lower market printers.
You’re guaranteed the tools to give you a well-structured product, be it a replacement tool for you to use or a keepsake to share with someone else.
Print Volume
The print volume offered by this Qidi Tech 1 3D Printer is notable too.
While the prints you’ll get out of this printer aren’t enormous, you can print within 9 x 6 x 6 inch constraints.
That’s fairly generous, regardless of what you’re printing, and allows for experimentation as well as opportunity.
Keep your prints small, if you like, but you won’t have to worry about reducing the size of your project (or ambition) based on platform size.
Versatility
Our favorite thing about this awesome 3D printer is definitely the dual extruder. It simply offers you so many more options than a normal single extruder would.
The majority of 3D printers for beginners on the market only allow for single colors — we love that we can mix it up and experiment with this one.
Cost
Then we come to the cost, which is happily in the mid-market.
That may seem like a lot if you don’t have much experience looking at 3D printers, but compared to its competition, the Qidi 3DP-QDA16-01 offers quality modeling for a reasonably low price.
It’s not the cheapest model on the market, but it offers a lot of automation and options with its dual extruder and temperature-controlled environment. It’s a machine that’ll serve enthusiasts and committed beginners well.
The Negatives
Some Difficulty Leveling
The Qidi Tech 1 3D Printer is suitable for beginners but there is a learning curve to be mastered — leveling the build platform.
Some users have reported a bit of difficulty leveling it for the most accurate prints. We didn’t find this too frustrating, although agree that it’s worth keeping an eye on the platform and constantly calibrating while you’re using it.
Some Assembly Required
In our experience, it took about three hours to assemble the Qidi Technology Dual Extruder and to start using the software.
This certainly isn’t too bad, as the printer comes more or less intact, but it could still frustrate someone who wants to get printing right off the bat.
Luckily, there are several videos available that will guide the nervous through the process, and the included manual spells out each step with a friendly ease.
Overall Verdict
The Qidi Technology 3DP-QDA16-01 Dual Extruder Desktop 3D Printer is a printer with a long name and a marked reputation.
This printer will serve an enthusiast well throughout all their projects, offering the opportunity for project diversity with its dual extruder and great care with its structure.
The cost, when compared to peer printers, is reasonable, and the printer’s overall ease of use makes it a good 3D printer for beginners.
While not perfect, the Qidi Tech 1 certainly isn’t a printer to turn your nose up at. We highly recommend it!
Are you tempted to try the Qidi Tech Dual Extruder 3D Printer?
