Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[jfkansas]

For ABS lower build plate temp to 94. Your cooling fans for the extruder should always be running, they turn on at 50C. For ABS the side nozzle fan can be removed.

[JSensebe]

I think I know what the problem is. The side fan, which I did think was on, was on. This by itself isn't the problem, though. Once the left extruder (which I'm not using) hits 50°C, I have three fans blowing on or near the extruder, and the heating element can't keep up at all. The plastic still comes out OK, but solidifies too quickly, which leads to the little globs everywhere and eventually the extruder starts pushing them around and making a real mess.

Where is the menu setting to turn the side fan off? I've looked all around the printer's menus with no luck in finding it. Of course, I can always unhook the wire, which might be easier than navigating that menu system, actually. At least I'll know at a glance whether the fan's on or not.

[DarkAlchemist]

Hey guys! Just got my QIDI last week and have been playing around with it. I can get pretty decent results out of PLA but am having an issue with ABS. I'm printing at 230C on the extruder and 110C on the stock bed, with gluestick. Adhesion doesn't seem to be the issue. Basically on wall-like structures, on the backside I always get some deformities in the wall.

I thought maybe the issue was a bent rod I noticed in the back of the printer, but QIDI support insists this rod will not affect print quality (it's the rod in the back, on top). Here is a video of it where you can see it going up and down as it prints:
https://youtu.be/wSiN_kIiowo

Same rod I had an issue with that was eating the plastic and the bearings (mine was just as bent and as you can see the manufacturer put in that bowed rod it was not bent during transit since nothing around it is harmed) AND the same BS.

Mine made horrible clicks, and pops, as it was eating into the bearings and the plastic bearing holders and "Our Engineer says that will not cause any issues". They are so ignorant but at least they sent a spare rod for me to tear down the entire machine to replace and after I replaced it that issue was gone (had way more issues from the printer to come I soon found out though)

I wanted to tell you to NOT believe anything they say and use your common sense. A bent rod is like trying to drive on a bent axle. They couldn't understand that analogy either (either on purpose or just ignorance).

As others have said for ABS ditch that part cooling fan (turn it off in the slicer and make sure it stays off).

[DarkAlchemist]

So get this...

Awhile back I got some material from MakerGeeks, it included a spool of ABS called 'It's a Beaut' Brown'...a very wonderful chocolate shade of brown. I have since used the entire spool..but during its use I came across 2 sections with some discoloration. These were small runs, each about 4 meters or so (totaling maybe 10grams all together) that were a much lighter shade of brown.

I didn't care to much, I was printing prototypes during both segments of discoloration, so no big deal ya.
However I did take pictures and contacted MakerGeeks. This was done more to call it to their attention, and make sure it was a manufacturing mistake and not something I did to damage the material. I explained I was still more than happy with the purchase, and just wanting them to be aware of it.

They have INSISTED on sending me a full spool of material to replace the brown. Not only that but gave me choice of color.

If you live in the US and your not getting your material from MakerGeeks you may wanna give them a second look.

My next purchase is to them when I run out as I have heard nothing but good about them and their filament. Will be a while but they have prices, with shipping, that matches the Chinese crap I was buying off of eBay just two years ago. For a USA company with those prices and free shipping that spoke loudly to me.

[wermy]

Same rod I had an issue with that was eating the plastic and the bearings (mine was just as bent and as you can see the manufacturer put in that bowed rod it was not bent during transit since nothing around it is harmed) AND the same BS.

Mine made horrible clicks, and pops, as it was eating into the bearings and the plastic bearing holders and "Our Engineer says that will not cause any issues". They are so ignorant but at least they sent a spare rod for me to tear down the entire machine to replace and after I replaced it that issue was gone (had way more issues from the printer to come I soon found out though)

I wanted to tell you to NOT believe anything they say and use your common sense. A bent rod is like trying to drive on a bent axle. They couldn't understand that analogy either (either on purpose or just ignorance).

As others have said for ABS ditch that part cooling fan (turn it off in the slicer and make sure it stays off).

Oy.

I have noticed some clicking/grinding sounds but nothing major. I just don't see HOW that rod could NOT cause issues. It is directly moving the print head assembly (or whatever you would call it -- I'm new to this). If the tension isn't even on that of course it is going to be inconsistent.

Their support is telling me to try with different print settings. I've printed so many test cubes at this point though. I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. I can get it to come out perfectly except for that back-right corner.

Just sent them another email just asking to please send a new rod. How easy was it for you to change?

Edit: Also when are we going to get a QIDI section so we don't have to have a 170 page thread?

[Syd_Khaos]

My next purchase is to them when I run out as I have heard nothing but good about them and their filament. Will be a while but they have prices, with shipping, that matches the Chinese crap I was buying off of eBay just two years ago. For a USA company with those prices and free shipping that spoke loudly to me.

It is quality material too...that's the kicker.
It is actually the best I have used in my short time printing.

I can get about the same in-print viscosity out of MakerGeeks ABS as I was out of the PLA that came with the machine.
My second fav so far is Orb Polymer. Its a little more expensive than MG, but the material is almost as good and they have some cool colors.

@JSensebe:
What slicer ya using?
In S3D there is a tab called 'cooling' that is for setting the active cooling fan run parameters. Just set to 0% at layer one.

[JSensebe]

What slicer ya using?
In S3D there is a tab called 'cooling' that is for setting the active cooling fan run parameters. Just set to 0% at layer one.

I'm using ReplicatorG with Skeinforge. If you can point me to the line of G-Code that shuts the fan off, I'm going to be creating my own ReplicatorG profiles soon.

BY the way, I printed another calibration cube with the fan disconnected, and it came out a lot smoother, but the sides and top have bulges in them. I think part of it may be the way Skeinforge prints the infill. It starts at the middle, fills to one side, then goes back to the middle and fills the other side, but I imagine that if it filled differently, it would only cause the bulges to show up somewhere else. Perhaps it's still cooling too fast? The bottom of the cube seems slightly concave, as well.

[DarkAlchemist]

Oy.

I have noticed some clicking/grinding sounds but nothing major. I just don't see HOW that rod could NOT cause issues. It is directly moving the print head assembly (or whatever you would call it -- I'm new to this). If the tension isn't even on that of course it is going to be inconsistent.

Their support is telling me to try with different print settings. I've printed so many test cubes at this point though. I'm pretty sure that's not the issue. I can get it to come out perfectly except for that back-right corner.

Just sent them another email just asking to please send a new rod. How easy was it for you to change?

Edit: Also when are we going to get a QIDI section so we don't have to have a 170 page thread?

It was a nightmare. You have to remove almost all screws the printer has and almost completely tear the machine down. When I say almost the only thing left will be the four corners then you can replace the rod.

[wermy]

It was a nightmare. You have to remove almost all screws the printer has and almost completely tear the machine down. When I say almost the only thing left will be the four corners then you can replace the rod.

Good lord that sucks. Did it improve your print quality? I just got an email back from them and they said they'd go ahead and ship out a new rod. So my choices are go through all that, or return it (bought straight from Amazon so I should be able to). :\ I know they say the bent rod shouldn't affect anything but I can't imagine that actually being the case.

[DarkAlchemist]

Good lord that sucks. Did it improve your print quality? I just got an email back from them and they said they'd go ahead and ship out a new rod. So my choices are go through all that, or return it (bought straight from Amazon so I should be able to). :\ I know they say the bent rod shouldn't affect anything but I can't imagine that actually being the case.

Return it. For all that is holy return it.

Trust me that rod noise will get worse and if/when you take it apart you will find the bearings are scratched all around the outside (one of mine was) and the plastic is all over them/it which means it was eating into the plastic. As Qidi said to me that is alright we will send you new pieces if necessary. Really? For the rest of my life?

Once I asked them the above that is when they sent me the rod as they refused to replace or refund so after two weeks of back and forth, and after finally replacing the rod, the machine darn near caught fire and if I hadn't been here watching it it probably would have (in Marlin there are safety measures but apparently in Grbl/Sailfin there are none or very little) I called eBay and they started the process. After about 6 hours I had my refund.