Disclosure: The Plus 4 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 video.

Disclaimer: Use at your own risk! All my test prints were supervised and I was aware of the dangers of using this printer. Adequate precautions were taken to reduce risk when using the Plus 4. More on that at the end of the review, thank you.

The Plus 4, the latest high-temperature, high-performance 3D printer from Qidi, promises impressive capabilities. This review aims to thoroughly evaluate its performance across key metrics. We will delve into its build volume to assess its capacity for large-scale prints, test its speed to determine print times, and examine its accuracy and tolerance to gauge the precision of its output. By exploring these aspects, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Plus 4’s potential and limitations.

Unboxing

Packaging Quality

The Qidi Plus 4 arrived well-packaged, with ample foam cushioning around the printer and protective plastic shielding the glass components. The large size of the printer is made manageable by the thoughtful inclusion of integrated grab handles at the top, which significantly ease lifting and transporting, making the unpacking experience smoother overall.

Retractable Grab Handles.

Assembly/Build Quality

The Qidi Plus 4 exhibits exceptional build quality, with all components fitting together seamlessly and no loose parts or misalignments. A noteworthy feature is the foam insulation lining the interior walls of the heated chamber, effectively minimizing heat loss to ensure optimal printing conditions and energy efficiency.

First Print and Impressions

Naturally, the first print was a 3DBenchy, completed in PLA in under 20 minutes—a standard feature on modern printers. The print quality left a bit to be desired, but I’ll attribute that to Arizona’s warm ambient air, which can be less than ideal for PLA printing.

Hardware and Specs

The Qidi Plus 4 boasts a substantial build volume of 305x305x280mm, enabling it to handle large-scale prints. This volume is efficiently accommodated within the printer’s physical dimensions, optimizing space utilization. Qidi advertises a maximum print speed of 600mm/s at an acceleration of 20,000mm/s², promising rapid production times. The printer’s impressive thermal capabilities include a hotend temperature of up to 370°C, a build plate temperature of up to 120°C, and a heated chamber reaching up to 65°C. These high temperatures allow for printing a wide range of materials, including engineering-grade plastics like Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS). With its hardened nozzle, the Plus 4 can even handle fiber-reinforced variants of these materials, further expanding its versatility and potential applications.

Software and UI

The Qidi Plus 4 offers software compatibility with Orca slicer, providing both flexibility and ease of use. While Qidi’s proprietary slicer, a fork of Orca, is available, many users may prefer to centralize their printing operations within a single slicer. Orca’s user-friendly interface and customization options make it an excellent choice for the Plus 4.

The Plus 4’s onboard user interface is a significant improvement over its predecessor, the Q1 Pro. Although some users might prefer the original Klipper screen, Qidi’s interface is well-designed and intuitive, offering smoother navigation and a more optimized layout.

Test Prints and Performance

Time-lapses and Camera

At first, my Plus 4 wasn’t taking time lapses—you have to enable them manually. To do this, remove the semicolon from the timelapse setting in the slicer. Additionally, the camera is set to a low resolution by default. Thanks to the fully open Klipper firmware, you can access the camera configuration file and adjust the quality to the full 1920×1080, greatly enhancing the clarity of the timelapse.

How to enable time-lapses.