Qidi Tech 1 - Replicator 1 clone

[svt04cobra]

What do you use it for at work? You designing something?

[KludgeGuru]

What do you use it for at work? You designing something?

The goal at work is to have a printer that can print exotic materials such as Tungsten and Bismuth loaded filament.. We already have 3 Stratasys uPrint SE Plus printers which are our work horses but material wise they don't have many options. We have a Makerbot Replicator 2X at work but it is just a piece of junk, I've spent 3 weeks trying to get it to print correctly and I'm still having problems. So I've given up on the Makebot and going to try the Qidi which I've been very happy with at home.

On a side note we have many Mechanical engineers at work that utilize the Stratasys printers, but I'm very proud of having the record for the longest printing project. I designed some test boxes which took 2 printers 5 weeks to complete with near constant printing. My project was the reason we purchased the 3rd printer.

[DarkAlchemist]

The goal at work is to have a printer that can print exotic materials such as Tungsten and Bismuth loaded filament.. We already have 3 Stratasys uPrint SE Plus printers which are our work horses but material wise they don't have many options. We have a Makerbot Replicator 2X at work but it is just a piece of junk, I've spent 3 weeks trying to get it to print correctly and I'm still having problems. So I've given up on the Makebot and going to try the Qidi which I've been very happy with at home.

On a side note we have many Mechanical engineers at work that utilize the Stratasys printers, but I'm very proud of having the record for the longest printing project. I designed some test boxes which took 2 printers 5 weeks to complete with near constant printing. My project was the reason we purchased the 3rd printer.

That Bismuth printing intrigues me.

[svt04cobra]

That is awesome man! I have to ask you though, did you get the QIDI before you got the makerbot replicator 2X or after? Reason I ask is if the Makerbot is junk, the QIDI was an exact copy, why would you risk it? I did a lot of research before I purchased. I was on the fence before I saw this and the price point I just couldn't pass up! Have you done any upgrades to your printer? What software are you using for design? I've been experimenting with Fusion 360, SketchUp 2016, and Blender. I need easy for novice. I want to learn design. My problem now is, i'm able to muddle my way to make something, then when I check it, there is always a problem like Self intersection surfaces or Non Manifold edges. I don't know what I'm doing wrong when I make my designs. They are very simple shapes with push pull and holes but always issues???

The goal at work is to have a printer that can print exotic materials such as Tungsten and Bismuth loaded filament.. We already have 3 Stratasys uPrint SE Plus printers which are our work horses but material wise they don't have many options. We have a Makerbot Replicator 2X at work but it is just a piece of junk, I've spent 3 weeks trying to get it to print correctly and I'm still having problems. So I've given up on the Makebot and going to try the Qidi which I've been very happy with at home.

On a side note we have many Mechanical engineers at work that utilize the Stratasys printers, but I'm very proud of having the record for the longest printing project. I designed some test boxes which took 2 printers 5 weeks to complete with near constant printing. My project was the reason we purchased the 3rd printer.

[Syd_Khaos]

That is awesome man! I have to ask you though, did you get the QIDI before you got the makerbot replicator 2X or after? Reason I ask is if the Makerbot is junk, the QIDI was an exact copy, why would you risk it? I did a lot of research before I purchased. I was on the fence before I saw this and the price point I just couldn't pass up! Have you done any upgrades to your printer? What software are you using for design? I've been experimenting with Fusion 360, SketchUp 2016, and Blender. I need easy for novice. I want to learn design. My problem now is, i'm able to muddle my way to make something, then when I check it, there is always a problem like Self intersection surfaces or Non Manifold edges. I don't know what I'm doing wrong when I make my designs. They are very simple shapes with push pull and holes but always issues???

I would suggest Blender.
i have used ALOT of different CAD/rendering software....SketchUp, 3DMax, Maya, just about everything made by Autodesk...
Blender is by far the MOST bang for your buck...since its FREE! Not only that but its an easy(ish) to use software suite. There are a HUGE number of online tutorial type resources, and a near endless number of plugins to extend its functionality.
It also has the simplest most streamlined UV wrap/unwrap workflow of any software I have ever used. This is not directly helpful for 3D printing, but is VERY important if you ever decide to couple a vinyl cutter with your printer.

As for learning the software check out Blender Cookie, its huge online tutorial depository.

edit:
By the way, just ordered some of that new FDA food safe and dishwasher safe PLA from MakerGeeks, should be here today or tomorrow if anyone is curious about it.

[KludgeGuru]

That is awesome man! I have to ask you though, did you get the QIDI before you got the makerbot replicator 2X or after? Reason I ask is if the Makerbot is junk, the QIDI was an exact copy, why would you risk it? I did a lot of research before I purchased. I was on the fence before I saw this and the price point I just couldn't pass up!

Some other engineer purchased the Makerbot a year or so ago, he was never successful in getting it to work. I got my Qidi at home a couple months ago and it mostly just works. I've had a few problems but they have been easy to overcome. I then tried to get the Makerbot at work up and running. I definitely made more progress than the last guy but I was spending too much time on it and it still wasn't working right. From my experience at home I told the managers that we should just buy a Qidi and bag the Makerbot... and we did. I just got the Qidi at work up and running this morning and so far the first print is looking good.

Have you done any upgrades to your printer?

I've done the basic upgrades; cable chain, filament alignment bracket, Maghold build platform with glass plate. I've also upgraded my Z-Axis rods to 12mm, still working to get the design right. I've attached a Raspberry Pi 2 and run Astroprint so I can start and stop prints remotely so I don't have to keep moving around the SD card.

What software are you using for design? I've been experimenting with Fusion 360, SketchUp 2016, and Blender. I need easy for novice. I want to learn design. My problem now is, i'm able to muddle my way to make something, then when I check it, there is always a problem like Self intersection surfaces or Non Manifold edges. I don't know what I'm doing wrong when I make my designs. They are very simple shapes with push pull and holes but always issues???

I use Solidworks 2016. Since I use Solidworks at work I have access to a Home Use License which is great. I've messed around with Sketchup and don't like it much. I installed Blender last night and my first impression is that the interface is way too complicated, I can usually muddle around and figure out some of the basics when I try new software but with Blender I was completely lost. If I didn't have access to Solidworks I would probably use Fusion 360. I've heard good things about it but never tried it.

[jfkansas]

No way to do what? Do you have a drill? A counter sink bit is 10-15 bucks. You don't have to have a $20000 mill to countersink a few holes.

[DarkAlchemist]

No way to do what? Do you have a drill? A counter sink bit is 10-15 bucks. You don't have to have a $20000 mill to countersink a few holes.

I don't do straight. I can't cut straight and I can't drill straight so I would need a DP.

250 dollars was my quote for about 15 days to my house from rapidmanufacturing.com This tells me exactly what I wanted to know and time to disassemble the i3 and box it up and buy a new printer.

Thanks for all of the help guys.

edit: I just submitted the actual step file to emachine to see what they quote but they wanted everything in inches (typical USA shop) so 219mm = 8.62205 in and that is what they got 8.62205x8.62205x.25

[cncartist]

I don't do straight. I can't cut straight and I can't drill straight so I would need a DP.

If you have a dremel and a 3d printer (which it sounds like you do but I can't quite figure out if you're talking from experience or research) you should print this - Drill press for a Dremel

You could also make a jig out of wood/plastic/etc. for a regular handheld battery powered drill if needed. All you need is a little ingenuity and you should be able to easily countersink those holes in 15 minutes or less after obtaining the proper bit and creating a jig that has the travel you want for the depth of the countersink.

The goal at work is to have a printer that can print exotic materials such as Tungsten and Bismuth loaded filament.. We already have 3 Stratasys uPrint SE Plus printers which are our work horses but material wise they don't have many options. We have a Makerbot Replicator 2X at work but it is just a piece of junk, I've spent 3 weeks trying to get it to print correctly and I'm still having problems. So I've given up on the Makebot and going to try the Qidi which I've been very happy with at home.

On a side note we have many Mechanical engineers at work that utilize the Stratasys printers, but I'm very proud of having the record for the longest printing project. I designed some test boxes which took 2 printers 5 weeks to complete with near constant printing. My project was the reason we purchased the 3rd printer.

Very cool, thanks for sharing!

[DarkAlchemist]

If you have a dremel and a 3d printer (which it sounds like you do but I can't quite figure out if you're talking from experience or research) you should print this - Drill press for a Dremel

You could also make a jig out of wood/plastic/etc. for a regular handheld battery powered drill if needed. All you need is a little ingenuity and you should be able to easily countersink those holes in 15 minutes or less after obtaining the proper bit and creating a jig that has the travel you want for the depth of the countersink.




Very cool, thanks for sharing!

I had a printer if you could call it that but I no longer do since I can't get a flat bed. If it can lay down a first layer it works wonderfully well. I was going to purchase a DP over the last year but China came in a screwed the pooch so even the older models were better than the current models. Over on another forum I was basically told that short of 1k for a DP the runout is horrible now since all sub $500 machines are made by the same factory in China and just rebadged. After asking around with owners of newer machines I must concur with that statement.