Disclosure: The Q1 PRO was provided to me by QIDI free of charge for the purpose of this review. I have not received any other compensation. All opinions expressed are my own, and QIDI has had no influence on the content of this review.

QIDI Technology, founded in 2014 and based in Ruian, Zhejiang, China, is a manufacturer primarily of fused filament fabrication 3D printers. In this review, I’ll put the Qidi Q1 Pro to the test, assessing its quality, affordability, and potential as a reliable production tool.

Unboxing:

Packaging quality and contents.

Packaging quality

The packaging was very nice. As you would expect from printers these days. Everything was secured tightly with foam and was plastic wrapped for scratch protection. I do like that QIDI added corner braces in the box, those help quite a lot.

Assembly/build quality

The printer comes fully assembled, and the build quality is mixed for me. On one hand, the printer’s frame is rock solid. The gantry, build platform, and kinematics are stiff, strong, and run smoothly. On the other hand, the spool holder, nozzle cleaner, and front door don’t inspire confidence. The spool holder and nozzle cleaner feel flimsy, as if they could break at any moment. The front door is also missing a handle, making it smooth and hard to grasp. I ended up printing my own and screwing it into the door.

First impressions

After one PLA Benchy print, which looked good (as all Benchys should on modern printers), I was confident this printer was going to perform well, regardless of what I threw at it. I want to note that QIDI levels their machines at the factory and states that only the auto bed leveling procedure needs to be done. In my printer’s case, however, the screws under the bed were loose. When I ran the auto bed calibration, I noticed massive deviations in the build plate—nearly 2mm, not 0.2mm. The bed varied by 1.64mm from front to back.

Image of the height map with the large deviation of 1.64mm.

I am also pleased to see that much of the feedback from the original Q1s was addressed in this revised version. The build plate is much easier to align in the printer, sliding into two alignment tabs in the back instead of just one. Additionally, the PTFE tube no longer exits from the back of the machine; it is now inline with the spool holder, which is a nice improvement.

Hardware and Specifications:

The QIDI Q1 Pro boasts a standard build volume of 245x245x240mm, allowing for the creation of larger-scale prints. While it’s marketed as capable of reaching 600mm/s with 20,000mm/s² acceleration, it’s important to note that this refers to the maximum movement speed of the toolhead rather than the actual print speed. Equipped with a hotend that can reach temperatures up to 350°C and a build plate capable of heating to 120°C, the Q1 Pro can handle a wide range of materials. The inclusion of a heated chamber, which can reach temperatures of up to 60°C, further expands its material compatibility, allowing for the printing of materials like ABS, PAHT, PC, and their carbon fiber variants.

Highlighted features, in order from left to right: independent Z-axis motors, 60°C heated chamber, and high-temp 350°C nozzle.

Full list of specs from QIDI

Software and User Interface:

The QIDI Q1 Pro offers flexibility in slicer compatibility, supporting both QIDI’s proprietary slicer and profiles within Orca Slicer. For this review, Orca Slicer was used. While the Q1 Pro features a modified user interface instead of the standard Klipper screen, it remains intuitive and easy to navigate. However, considering the machine’s reliance on open-source Klipper firmware, a more traditional Klipper screen might have been preferable. Most printer operations are managed through the Fluidd interface on your PC. For those familiar with Klipper, Fluidd offers extensive customization options, from custom macros to time-lapses. While the information density of Fluidd/Klipper can be overwhelming for new users, it provides unparalleled control and personalization capabilities.

Test Prints and Performance:

Time-lapses were a struggle at first, as I kept getting a directory error. However, this was eventually resolved, though I have no idea what changed. For the first few days, the error persisted, but one day I checked again and found a folder full of the last few prints done on the printer—though not all of them. I still don’t know why the timelapses spontaneously started working, but I’m really impressed with the 1080p camera this printer has. These timelapses are significantly better than those from some of my other printers.

While the QIDI Q1 Pro uses independent Z-axis motors to align both sides of the build plate, I encountered some issues on my first print. I resolved this by going through their build plate calibration process. This process moves the toolhead over each of the build plate mounting screws, allowing me to use a wrench to loosen or tighten the screws and adjust the build plate until the nozzle was just touching a piece of paper. Before this, my bed level varied by nearly 2mm from the back left to the front right. After the calibration, I was able to achieve a level of 0.05mm across the same portions of the plate.

In my testing, I was able to print with various materials, all of which achieved a very smooth and consistent surface finish. I consistently achieved excellent tolerances and accuracy, with a 0.05mm tolerance across all materials I printed. At 0.05mm, there was an interference fit between the external peg and the main body. I really appreciate this for designing more accurate and dimensionally tight models. This capability has been particularly helpful with some of my customer orders that required snap and friction fit components.

Print Examples:

I really wanted to put this printer to the test with this one. Not only am I printing a complex truncated octahedron array, but I also chose to print it in Polycarbonate, which would surely warp and deform if the heated chamber fluctuated at all. As you can see, there is some stringing, as Polycarbonate isn’t ideal for printing without supports, but there are no layer misalignments or any other issues in the print. The heated chamber remained very consistent, making printing high-temp materials like High Temp Nylon or Polycarbonate a breeze.

My accuracy and squareness test print, printed in ASA

1. • X Measurement: 100.05mm out of 100mm.
   • Y Measurement: 100.04mm out of 100mm.
   • Z Measurement: 99.99mm out of 100mm.
   • XZ Measurement: 134.92mm out of 135mm.
   • YZ Measurement: 135.02mm out of 135mm.
   • XY – A Measurement: 149.93mm out of 150mm.
   • XY – B Measurement: 150.1mm out of 150mm.

What these measurements tell us is that the Q1 Pro is exceptionally accurate. The Q1 came very square and was able to maintain excellent tolerances in my testing. Very well done. (Tests and measurements were conducted after the build plate was recalibrated.)

Actual print speed:

I have been able to achieve roughly 200-300mm/s of usable print speeds. The Q1 Pro was able to print ABS at 400mm/s, but the surface was matte, and the interlayer adhesion was weak, so I limited it to 300mm/s. However, I was able to travel at 600mm/s, which is the printer’s maximum advertised speed, and I had no issues achieving that speed reliably when used for travel moves.

Actual material capabilities:

During my testing, I was able to use all the materials I had with the QIDI Q1 Pro. The Q1 made printing with High Temp Nylon and Polycarbonate significantly easier than with my non-heated chamber printers. I have been getting extremely consistent prints with the Q1 Pro.

Noise level:

The QIDI Q1 Pro averaged 60 decibels, making it a very quiet machine, especially considering the speed and the additional fans for the heated chamber.

Reliability and Maintenance:

Over the course of this review, the QIDI Q1 Pro has accumulated over 300 hours of print time and consumed more than 15 kilograms of filament. This includes a mix of materials such as polycarbonate, carbon fiber-reinforced nylon, ASA, PETG, TPU, and PLA. With proper lubrication and maintenance, the Q1 Pro should require minimal component replacements over extended use. In my 300+ hours of operation, no replacements were necessary. When replacements are needed, QIDI’s auto-calibration features make the process relatively straightforward. While the printer did not include any spare parts in the box, QIDI offers a wide range of affordable replacement and upgrade components, including hotends, nozzles, build plates, and even tungsten nozzle upgrades. These prices are highly competitive, showing QIDI commitment to providing value for its customers.

Cost and Value:

The QIDI Q1 Pro is priced at $599 but is often available on sale for $449, positioning it competitively with the Flashforge A5M Pro. The Q1 Pro’s unique features, especially the heated chamber, make it an excellent value for those who need or want to print with higher-temperature materials. While the chamber heater’s 60°C maximum temperature may not be sufficient for aerospace-grade filaments like PEEK or PEI, it enables reliable printing of polycarbonate, ABS, and high-temperature nylon without warping or delamination. The Q1 Pro’s independent Z motors further enhance its value by ensuring a flat and square build plate, which improves print quality and consistency.

Summary:

The QIDI Q1 Pro offers exceptional value at a price of $599, often available for $449. Its high speed and temperature capabilities, combined with high accuracy and repeatability, make it a top performer. The fully open Klipper firmware allows for extensive customization and optimization. While the Q1 Pro can handle a wide range of materials, including high-temperature options like polycarbonate and high-temperature nylon, its advertised speed of 600mm/s may not be practical for all materials. However, it consistently achieved 400mm/s with materials like PC and ABS, which flow more easily. In terms of reliability, the Q1 Pro has demonstrated excellent uptime, with minimal downtime aside from initial leveling. For those seeking a printer for a production environment, especially for materials like nylon and polycarbonate, the Q1 Pro’s heated chamber and overall performance make it a compelling choice. While some minor surface ripples were observed in a tolerance test, these were easily resolved by adjusting belt tension and re-running the input shaping calibration.