I have a Qidi X-Smart 3D printer. I was wanting to try using astroprint to connect to my printer over the network. The printer is shown as community verified on the compatibility chart. I installed astroprint on my raspberry pi and went to add the printer. Qidi doesn’t show up under printer manufacturers. How do I add my printer?
Being compatible doesn’t mean we have a profile for it. It meas the AstroBox can communicate with it. You don’t have to add a printer model if it’s not in the list. This is an optional step. Also in your astroprint cloud account, you can create a custom printer profile in order to slice.
Thanks for the reply. I am mainly looking at using astroprint to communicate over the network to my printer. I am currently using Simplify3D to do slicing. I’m just wanting to communicate the code from it to the printer.
I’m giving astroprint a shot since I wasn’t having luck hooking up my printer to octoprint.
So, how does Astroprint interface to the Qidi X-Smart? I have studied the hardware on it and all it has is a WIFI interface that works only on the local network with only software from Qidi.
It’s not compatible on that case. Only printers that allow control via USB and are based on marlin or sailfish are compatible.
Then why is that printer on the compatibility list? From what you are saying, there may be other Qidi printers that are not compatible as well but the X-Smart needs to be removed.
It might be compatible after all according to their specs. I was simply going by the information you provided.
You need to talk to the manufacturer and ask how can a external controller connect to the printer via USB.
I have spent days with countless emails with Qidi (may at qd3dprinter.com) trying to accomplish that. I did get the communication spec for their WIFI interface but using USB or serial is a total NO-GO with the Qidi X-Smart. I have disassembled mine and tested it (I am an engineer and reverse engineering is one of my specialties). The serial port inside has a proprietary stream for testing only and doesn’t meet any serial standard speed and protocol. They do have a Arduino style interface and use a somewhat commt WIFI card but again, that is the protocol they provide. So the only option they provide is to download to the USB memory stick and print from that. You could print through the WIFI with your own software but that isn’t recommended for reasons of stability in the g-code stream.
If someone has made some kind of physical interface work, I haven’t been able to find the way to accomplish that.
So the Qidi X-Smart is totally not compatible with Astroprint and Qidi has no intention to make it so.
Sorry to hear that @Mark_Ebersole. We will update our compatibility page then with the unfortunate news
If your Qidi Tech mother board has the pins for the UART (GRND) (TX) (RX) (PWR) then it is likely you can connect it to either Octoprint and/or Astrobox. If you Qidi 3D printer has the USB B style, you likely can connect it to Octoprint and/or Astrobox. Baud Settings 115,000 and then depending on the model you would select Marlin/Repetier to do GCODE or Sailfish for XG3. So why do some users report they can connect to the Qidi 3D printers? Qidi changed up the motherboards in each model. So users got lucky and have the UART pins usable on the motherboard. Those that scratch their head in frustration, dont have the UART Pins or the USB B style Port. Having the USB A is only for storage, and only storage. You can hunt these boards down on E-bay and swap them out as I have. I really do like the Qidi platform. Adding the out of filament sensor on an Octopi Raspberry Pi is a must. It would be nice if Qidi had an auto-level for the bed and integrated into the firmware, and then you could map the hi/lo spots with Octopi. This response may be late, but I have been just now implementing the solution.
Note when connecting the ADAFRUIT (others may work) USB UART the Black wire is Ground, the Green (TX) plugs into the (RX) and the White (RX) plugs into the (TX). If you don’t the pi cannot talk to the printer. You dont need to use the RED for power unless you are powering your raspberry pi. If you do plug it in, the raspberry pi will power your LCD screen… Best to leave it just unplugged. That’s my 2 cents.