Review of the QidiTech X Smart3 3D printer, received from Geekbuying

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HOITG.de/a062.htm
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HOITG.de/s044.htm
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Table Of Contents:
00:00 Introduction
00:56 Initialization
03:41 Electronics
04:39 Firmware
05:52 Panel removal
07:08 Mechanics
08:41 Extruder
09:48 Bed heating
10:41 Print test levelling
44:43 Benchy, normal
14:40 Benchy 60mm/s
17:08 Benchy 90mm/s
19:29 Benchy 120mm/s
21:37 Material throughput
23:08 Printing ABS
24:45 Conclusion

[@iotrix]

Over the last couple of years I've watched quite a lot of reviews of 3D Printers. Many from popular channels. This review, from the technical perspective is by far the best one I have seen. I wish there were more technically sensible reviews like this one. The only criticism I have is the metal tool - spatula you used to pry out the top cover. It is almost never a good idea to use a metal for that. Using plasitc tools is much safer quite often old credit cards are handy for that.

[@hoitg4647]

Thanks!
When removing clipped connectors you always have to hold your breath ;-) The correct tool might increase the success rate.

[@iotrix]

@@hoitg4647 I agree this is tricky, but the proper tools make the difference. Another very underrated tool is proper temperature.
So hairdryer or anything that will warm the plastic to 50-60C or so, will greatly help form preventing the crack.

[@alx_256]

Great review - I'm looking into getting this printer and the disassembly of it helped. About measuring temperatures - IR thermometers (the ones used in the video) are not really accurate when used on different materials because they depend on emissivity and reflectivity of the surface. Ex: If you have a 20C sheet of glass and a 100C object in the background, you'll get something like 60C-80C when measuring the glass - basically a reflection of the background.

[@hoitg4647]

Thanks. Yes the thermometer for sure isn't laboratory grade, but it is at least useful to get a rough and quick reading.

[@bm830810]

Wouldn't higher bed temperature cause higher temperature difference between bottom and other sections of the part?

[@hoitg4647]

Well, higher than 120°C isn't possible with the X-Smart 3.
With my rough temperature measurement I only can detect the temperature of the walls on top and bottom of the printer. However, there is also a temperature gradient running straight through the printed object itself. We can start making a science of that temperature gradient or just accept: With ABS it works for this printer.

[@bm830810]

@@hoitg4647 it seems to me temperature difference between the section of the part sticking to bed and other parts which are cooler cause warping, how can raising bed temperature help with this? (I know higher bed temps help with abs better sticking to bed but if we assume abs have stuck to bed, wouldn't raising bed temps be bad for temperature gradients and drafts and ... in the enclosure?)

[@alx_256]

ABS is printed at ~250C - that is where the gradient "starts". If you set the bed to 20C you get a 230C gradient for first layer. If you set it to 120C then you get a 130C gradient for first layer. Adjust similarely for next layers.

[@eaman11]

Well we may use a 200 and 300mm/s benchy, my bed slinger can do one at 180mm//s in 22 minutes...
The max flow mode should be done in vase mode, there's a stop / retraction in that cylinder.

[@hoitg4647]

Yes, of course you can speed up a print by changing the settings in your slicer, but the idea behind my Benchy speed test is not to print as fast as possible, but to make the speed print comparable between different printer models. So I am using the same settings, only changing the print speed. With that you see if the extruder can handle the material throughput, if there are vibrations / backlash caused by the mechanics and if the part cooling fan works properly:
hoitg.de/Testprocedure-3D-Printers-FDM_en.htm#BENCHY_FAST
Material throughput is not done in vase mode, simply because this is rarely relevant in practice. In extruding layer by layer, you can see what happens at the layer shift. The seam should as thin as can be. You get an extra information by looking at the resulting cylinder. Details on that procedure:
hoitg.de/Testprocedure-3D-Printers-FDM_en.htm#EXTRUSIONRATE