QIDI TECH Plus4 test: Large print volume meets precision?

QIDI QIDI TECH PLUS4 3D-Drucker

QIDI QIDI TECH PLUS4 3D-Drucker

€ 799.00

€ 1,095.81

N/A

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Scope of delivery

• Bulky printer with a weight of approx. 27 kg
• Transportation of the packaging – preferably in pairs
• Contains printer and various accessories

First things first: the QIDI TECH Plus4 is definitely not a lightweight and weighs in at around 27 kg. The cuboid packaging is correspondingly bulky, weighing a hefty 32 kg with accessories. For this reason, the package is best transported by two people, as QIDI TECH itself recommends in the form of a note.

In addition to the 3D printer itself, the scope of delivery also includes various accessories. In addition to the power supply unit and Ethernet cable, this also includes tools in various sizes, a USB stick, glue and various spare parts. The screen, the door knob and the filament holder are included separately and must first be mounted on the QIDI TECH Plus4.

Assembly & commissioning

• Easy installation: Quick installation with clear instructions on the display
• Accessory installation: Door handle, display, filament holder, activated carbon filter are attached
• Final steps: Remove the protective film, insert the PLA, switch on the printer and get started

Assembling the QIDI TECH Plus4 generally doesn’t take very long and hardly requires any significant effort. Only lifting the 3D printer out of the packaging can initially lead to difficulties. In this case, it is advisable to use the two carrying handles on the top. After unpacking, the door handle is first attached to the front panel. Two screws are required for this. The display is then connected to the top front panel. All you need to do here is connect the free cable to the back of the screen and plug it into the corresponding holder on the side of the QIDI TECH Plus4. At this point, the 3D printer can already be switched on, as the screen will now guide you through the next steps once it has started up.

This includes removing the protective film and cable ties, loosening the transport lock on the pressure plate and mounting the filament holder, which is located on the back of the QIDI TECH Plus4. It is also worth mentioning the opening of the activated carbon filter, which is somewhat hidden in the housing with its own compartment. This is definitely justified, as it is intended to reduce emissions in the printing environment. Finally, quickly insert the short filament tube into a small opening on the left-hand side panel and you’re ready to go. Provided you have enough PLA to hand for the first test prints.

Design & processing

• Printer dimensions: 505 x 487 x 550 mm – Print area: 305 x 305 x 280 mm
• Timeless design despite plastic housing
• Significantly better workmanship compared to the previous model

The QIDI TECH Plus4 is a real eye-catcher and impresses with its timeless design. Although at first glance you might think that the 3D printer has an aluminum housing, it is actually only made of plastic. The interior is mostly coated in black and houses the printing plate and print head. The dimensions of the 3D printer are 505 x 487 x 550 mm, while the maximum print format is 305 x 305 x 280 mm. The lid and the front panel can be opened with a single movement. The lid in particular should remain open during the printing process so that the heat can spread evenly.

PLA is supplied via the filament holder, which is located on the back of the lid. This is also where the USB port is located if you want to use any print samples in this way. If you now turn the QIDI TECH Plus4 by 180 degrees, you will find both the Ethernet port and the filament ejection chute on the back. Only the power switch and the power connection are located on the right-hand side.

In terms of workmanship, QIDI has obviously gone the extra mile with this model and rectified some of the weaknesses from our last review of the QIDI TECH X-Plus 3(our test). In our test model, the door no longer wobbles and opens and closes perfectly. It is possible to look into the closed and heated printing chamber from the outside, both from above and from the front, although the transparent plastic glass tends to reflect. All in all, the workmanship is clean and therefore appropriate for the price range. Minor fraying under the print bed is still present, but the overall impression here is clearly positive.

Connection, operation & software

• Transfer of 3D models via WLAN, Ethernet or USB stick
• Can be operated via QIDI Studio, compatible with third-party slicers
• Smartphone app appears somewhat overloaded, which limits usability somewhat

The QIDI TECH Plus4 can be accessed either via WLAN, Ethernet or the old-fashioned way via a USB stick. For the latter two cases, an Ethernet cable and an 8 GB USB stick are included, on which some test models are already pre-installed. Regardless of the selected operating mode, the current printing process is shown on the 5-inch display on the front. The screen with touchscreen and a resolution of 800 x 480 pixels responds appropriately to inputs, but sometimes swallows light touches.

Smartphone app

The QIDI Link app is available for both Android and iOS and is used to monitor and operate the QIDI TECH Plus4. The device must first be linked to the personal account, which can be done quickly using the QR code in the settings. The 3D printer is then available in the app as long as there is a permanent network connection.

As the 3D printer has a camera inside, the app also displays the print status in real time. Although the frame rates are not quite as smooth as with the QIDI Studio PC software, they are perfectly adequate for simple tracking. Other QIDI Link functions include the display of print parameters such as temperature, progress or estimated print duration. If required, it is possible to adjust individual print parameters, control fans or start, pause or even stop print processes.

The app is particularly useful at a distance and makes it easier for hobbyists to track printing processes. Reaching for your cell phone is usually faster than going directly to the QIDI TECH Plus4, especially for longer print jobs. In this sense, the app is rich in functions, which comes at the expense of user-friendliness. Especially with the large amount of data on the smartphone, the app seems a little overloaded, which can be irritating at first. There is also potential for optimization in the translations, which result in a mixture of German and English in the German version.

Proprietary software

The Plus4 marks the switch to the new “QIDI Studio” slicer software, which is based on Bambu Studio. The manufacturer previously relied on “QIDI Slicer” for the predecessor printers, but the printer model is no longer compatible with this. In terms of functionality, however, they are largely identical and the user interface also shows strong parallels. However, the look is more contemporary and the options for the print settings have been expanded. This also applies to the configuration of the fan control. With the X-Plus 3, the fans always ran at full power; with the QIDI TECH Plus4, they can now be controlled individually. Further improvements include the optimization of slicing times and the integration of the latest Klipper firmware v.12. Incidentally, there is no mandatory software connection to QIDI Studio. Common third-party slicers such as Orca Slicer, Cura and PrusaSlicer are equally supported.

After adding your own printer model and specifying the filament, the first print job can be triggered. The default settings recommended by QIDI TECH are already loaded from the printer profile and deliver decent quality right from the start. Of course, none of these values are set in stone and can be adjusted depending on the type of filament and your own preferences.

Communication between the QIDI TECH Plus4 and either a browser or app takes place via the Fluidd web interface. The Moonraker integration, i.e. the API server for Klipper itself, is responsible for data exchange and the management of print events. An interesting feature in this context is the G-code visualization, which makes the planned print paths visible layer by layer.

Regardless of this, the introduction to the basics of the program takes a certain amount of time and requires a step-by-step approach. QIDI TECH provides a Quick Start Guide for this purpose, whereby the focus here is primarily on experienced users as the target group. Newcomers to the field of 3D printing will certainly have a few question marks, which will only be resolved gradually.

Practical test

• Beautiful results with high print quality: 600 mm/s, 16 minutes for 3DBenchy
• Practical filament holder and sufficient build space for larger models
• Slight stringing occurs with smaller test prints

In practice or in everyday testing and after a little practice, the first test prints are already successful with respectable results. Although both the QIDI Studio software and the German language on the 3D printer itself are rather chaotic and terms are sometimes translated incorrectly, with a little thought you can get by reasonably well. In general, if you are familiar with the English language, it is better to work this way in both cases.

As far as printing times are concerned, these have remained basically unchanged at 600 mm/s compared to the previous X-Plus 3 model. Accordingly, our print test with 3DBenchy also comes to 16 minutes. However, the significantly larger build space of the new model and the ability to monitor the printing process live at any time via the software or smartphone is an advantage. On the other hand, the overall performance of the UI is rather sluggish, which makes controlling the functions somewhat slower than expected.

The result when printing is a consistently stable process without any major fine-tuning in the software. The filament is heated as specified and the end product can be easily removed from the printing plate. If the material adheres more strongly, the scraper supplied is also suitable. A noticeable feature of the 3DBenchy is the slight stringing when using the 3D model provided by QIDI. This phenomenon was less pronounced with the larger test prints.

However, the QIDI TECH Plus4 does give cause for criticism. When connecting via WiFi, the connection suddenly dropped out and as a result the printer remained inaccessible for more than an hour. Interestingly, however, the display still confirmed a correct Wi-Fi connection. Ultimately, only a restart could remedy the situation. We have not yet experienced any connection interruptions via Ethernet.

The easily accessible filament holder at the top is a positive feature. This tends to allow the QIDI TECH Plus4 to be positioned close to the wall. The only thing to note in this context is that the filament ejector is located on the back and the excess PLA is separated at this point.

QIDI TECH Plus4 test: Conclusion

With the latest Plus4 model, QIDI shows that it has clearly taken on board the criticism of the previous model and implemented a series of improvements. The result is a print speed of up to 600 mm/s with high quality. Stringing does occur occasionally, but should be largely controllable by regulating the temperature and print speed. The integrated camera and the enlarged print area are also impressive – after all, you can never have enough of these in 3D printing.

To summarize, the FDM-based QIDI TECH Plus4 is a solid 3D printer for the year 2024. The model is packed with features and offers a much better overall package compared to its predecessor. Ultimately, operation is certainly the biggest barrier to entry for newcomers, as the target group is more likely to be hobby or professional users.