QIDI Q2 QIDI BOX, Review: CoreXY AMS 3D Printer

Today we present the new QIDI Q2 3D printer and its complement QIDI BOX in our review. A system that allows you to use multiple filaments easily.

The CoreXY QIDI Q2 printer is an evolution of the QIDI Q1 that improves specifications and overall design. A set that we can use without adjusting anything complex, assembling and following the start-up process is very simple. As you will see, this QIDI printer is an interesting machine for beginners or for users with a certain level, as it allows to use a wide range of materials. In addition, we have QIDI BOX as a complement, an AMS (Automatic Material System) to use up to 4 different filaments.

In the following review we will explain what features it offers and how to use it without complications.If you want to get started with this type of machine, you can read our Guide for filament 3D printers.

Technical specifications

Assembly, adjustment and connection

Setting up the QIDI Q2 printer assembly is very simple. The Core XY structure offers a very robust metal and plastic frame. We have front, side and top locking glass.

QIDI Q2, unboxing and assembly

The QIDI Q2 printer comes perfectly protected with corks inside the transport box. In the upper area we have the cover glass that we must remove carefully. Then by putting our hands inside the inner frame of the printer we can easily remove it.

QIDI Q2 start-up

1. Cut locking flanges and remove plastics.
2. Remove fixing screws from the base plate.
3. Attach side roll holder arm.
4. Switch on and follow the steps on the screen.
5. Remove corks under platform.

QIDI BOX, unboxing and assembly

The AMS QIDI Q2 system is presented in a cardboard box with multiple internal protections. Inside we find the main system with all the necessary components for its use.

QIDI BOX Startup

1. Disassemble the side coil holder arm.
2. Mount central HUB
3. Place BOX on printer or nearby area.
4. Connect tubes (cutting length if necessary).
5. Connect 2 control and power cables.

To load the rolls we only have to turn on the printer and the BOX, follow the steps on the screen to load the filaments we want. We have an NFC reader for automatic identification of compatible QIDI filaments.

Axes and leveling of the 3D printer

By means of the auto leveling system that includes the QIDI Q2 we can have the system operational easily. We will only have to follow the steps indicated in the auto leveling menu, the first phase of leveling and vibration takes 10 minutes. The normal leveling phase takes less time and is not always necessary.

Components, control and 3D software

QIDI Q2 structure

The QIDI Q2 printer offers a very neat design. It has a hinged front door and a top cover with two positions for materials that need ventilation.

On the left side we have the roll holder and in the rear area several air and waste outlets. In this area we have the socket for the BOX HUB, communication port with it, Ethernet connector and power input. We have two openings to tension the straps comfortably without disassembling anything.

In the rotating touch screen we have a USB 2.0 port on one of its sides, with which we can perform firmware updates and introduce 3D models.

Ventilation and components

Inside the case we have an auxiliary fan for internal temperature control and another heating fan that can carry the chamber up to a 3 in 1 filter (G3 H12 HEPA Coco/Carbon) to purify the exhaust air, it is replaceable.

In the lower area we can see the two servo motors for the Z axis. In this same area we have the power supply with its own fan, we recommend to clean it from time to time.

Camera and lighting

On one side we have the FHD video camera, next to it in the upper frame we have a small integrated LED light strip. A point that we can improve by extending it splicing more LEDS if we want.

Platform and creation plate

In the lower area we have the double-sided magnetic plate, which can be heated up to 120 ºC. The maximum printing volume is 270 x 270 x 256. The maximum printing volume is 270 x 270 x 256. Thanks to the design of the base support we can fit it very comfortably without looking.

Print head

The default QIDI Q2 printhead is made of high quality materials, the extrusion components are metallic and ceramic, it can work up to 370 ºC. It has a powerful cooling fan and a head that facilitates heat exchange. There are two head cleaning pads, one on the waste outlet and the other on the base platform.

It is easy to completely disassemble the head by detaching the front plastic housing. We can see how the heating head and extruder can be replaced with spare parts. We have automatic filament cutting which is very convenient. The filament loading tube works perfectly without tension. On the side we have a manual filament cutter, in case we have to unload in an auxiliary way.

Controls of the QIDI Q2 QIDI BOX

The QIDI Q2 printer offers a 4.3″ touch screen that allows you to control all the basic aspects of this hardware. It is possible to access menus for leveling, temperature control, job loading process, extruder, network connection and updates.

In this same screen we can access through the filament menu to the QIDI BOX loading settings. It is easy to assign the type of filament we have loaded and its color. If we are going to use always the same rolls we can disable the detection at startup to reduce the startup time, in the settings icon below.

Part Design and Laminator

The QIDI Studio software designed for this printer is a customized version of Bambu Studio, but we can use other software like Orca or Pulsa Slicer. The program will guide us through the system configuration with our printer, we can connect it via Wifi by looking at the printer IP in the printer settings.

• To laminate the models we will use the QIDI Studio program .
• 3D object libraries on the Thingiverse / Grab3D / Cults3D / MakeWorld websites
• If we want to design our 3D parts we can use the software Tinkercad.

Real-time management and camera

Inside the QIDI Studio program to have real time control and we can see the integrated 1080p webcam we have to go to the Device window. There we have the Fluidd-like environment where it is comfortable to manage all the settings, we can also control the QIDI BOX strands from this interface.

• NOTE: We can connect from the mobile from a browser using the IP of the machine.

Test bench

Print quality

We tested the QIDI Q2 printer with several 3D models and different materials. In our tests we are going to use the most common material which is PLA (Polylactic Acid) and also ABS (Acrylonitrile Butadiene Butadiene Styrene). In addition, we printed an AMS model with three different colors to check the results.

As we see in our PLA model of Benchy and also the ABS model of Budda. With both of them we get a good final quality and we check that it is fast. The layers are well defined and no errors are visible.

• PLA printing: 20 minutes
• ABS printing: 18 minutes

We made another AMS model print of Optimus Prime with articulated keychain design. This system takes much more time than with mono filament, but we avoid painting to color element. As we can see, the result is good and the articulated system works without problems.

• Printing 1 filament: 2 hours
• Printing 3 filaments: 14 hours

Thermal and noise

We looked at the thermals of the QIDI Q2 printer, the system heats up normally and we did not notice any abnormal shaped hot spots on its components. As for the noise level, the printer reaches a level of 56 dB in normal use, with BOX we can reach 65 dB.

Conclusions of the review and purchase link

Review

The new QIDI Q2 3D printer offers a very interesting product. Thanks to its specifications we can work with a large number of materials. This allows us to make all kinds of products with different technical characteristics. The design of the heated chamber and the different components does not give a high quality, a lot of attention to detail has been taken care of. As we have verified in our tests, the finishing of the parts is good and we have well defined final results.

An important addition to this machine is the QIDI BOX, with which we can work with four different filaments in an optimal way. The system integrates perfectly with the Q2 printer, both software and hardware. The assembly is simple and we only need to follow the steps indicated in the manual. As we can see, the production times are long but it can compensate us.

In short, the new QIDI Q2 3D printer offers good results and combined with the QIDI BOX system we have a very interesting pack. A hardware recommended for beginners and for more advanced users who want a well integrated AMS multifilament system.

Where to buy

Valuation