Qidi 3D Printer

All Libraries have one Qidi Tech 3D Printer & laptops capable of running the accompanying software.

Got to have 3D printers to be a modern Fabrication/Maker Space. The desktop machine which changed the way we think about rapid prototyping and personalized manufacturing. It has shaken the small batch injection molded industry & added ‘Additive Manufacturing’ to the Maker Toolkit .

The Qidi XOne2’s are hobby-level printers capable of producing functional prototypes and finished parts utilizing several common types of plastic filament. For example, PLA (a bio-plastic made from corn) is the filament type that we use most often for prototyping and test prints. While, ABS (the same plastic Lego bricks are made from) is used for final drafts or part assemblies that require extra strength & rigidity.

3D printing, or additive manufacturing, is the process of making a three dimensional object, with defined mass & density, from a digitally created 3D file. The creation of a 3D printed object is achieved using computer controlled additive processes. In this process, the object is created by laying down successive layers of material, one on top of another according to a predetermined program, until the digital file is brought to life. Each of these layers can be seen as a thinly sliced horizontal cross-section of the digital model. 3D printing is the opposite of Subtractive Manufacturing which is the carving/removal of material from a solid piece of median(metal, stone, plastic, etc.); much like a sculptor carves a statue from a block of marble. Modern instances would be a CNC Router, a Laser Cutter & a milling machine. Subtractive Manufacturing techniques inevitably result in a large amount of waste in the form of chipped & shaved material. 3D printing enables you to produce complex (functional) shapes using less material than traditional manufacturing methods.

The Qidi Tech X-One/2 is an entry-level 3D Printer capable of producing functional prototypes and finished designs.  While the Qidi X-One is a capable & excellent entry-level 3D Printer and was chosen for it’s reliability and ease of use, it is important to remember that 3D Printers are still a new technology. They can often be finicky, requiring frequent attention and recalibration. Something else to keep in mind is that any designs bigger than a ring, pendant, or keychain can take hours to print.