QIDI 3D printer house fire: Difference between revisions
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In early 2025, a consumer reported a catastrophic house fire allegedly caused by a Qidi Tech Plus 4 3D printer. The incident gained widespread attention after the user claimed their report was censored on the company's official subreddit.<ref name="RedditPost">{{Cite web |author=r/3Dprinting |date=31 March 2025 |title=R/QidiTech3d Permanently banned me for warning people after my family lost everything from a fire! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/3Dprinting/comments/1jnuju1/rqiditech3d_permanently_banned_me_for_warning/ |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=[[Reddit]]}}</ref> The subsequent public outcry led to a community-driven technical investigation that identified potential systemic design flaws, including an under-specified Solid-State Relay (SSR) and the absence of a thermal fuse, which could lead to thermal runaway.<ref name="MakerForums">{{Cite web |date=1 Apr 2025 |title=Qidi permanently banned a customer for reporting that a Qidi Plus4 caught fire and destroyed their entire house |url=https://forum.makerforums.info/t/qidi-permanently-banned-a-customer-for-reporting-that-a-qidi-plus4-caught-fire-and-destroyed-their-entire-house/92980 |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=Maker Forums}}</ref> In response, Qidi Tech initiated a program to provide replacement parts and released firmware updates, though the adequacy of these solutions was debated within the 3D printing community.<ref name="PFF164">{{Cite web |author=@3DMusketeers |date=1 Nov 2024 |title=Fire Hazards & Fight Club Fails! - PrintFixFriday 164 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pvhohMVPl1Q |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=[[YouTube]]}}</ref> | |||
In early 2025, a consumer reported a catastrophic house fire allegedly caused by a Qidi Tech Plus 4 3D printer. The incident gained widespread attention after the user claimed their report was censored on the company's official subreddit.<ref name="RedditPost">{{Cite web |author=r/3Dprinting |date= | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
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Zhejiang Qidi Electronic Co., Ltd., operating as Qidi Tech, is a Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers founded in 2014. The company produces a range of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and resin-based printers for hobbyists and professional users.<ref name="QidiAbout">{{Cite web |title=About QIDI Tech |url=https://eu.qidi3d.com/pages/about |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=[[QIDI]]}}</ref> | Zhejiang Qidi Electronic Co., Ltd., operating as Qidi Tech, is a Chinese manufacturer of 3D printers founded in 2014. The company produces a range of Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) and resin-based printers for hobbyists and professional users.<ref name="QidiAbout">{{Cite web |title=About QIDI Tech |url=https://eu.qidi3d.com/pages/about |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=[[QIDI]]}}</ref> | ||
The product at the center of the controversy is the Qidi Tech Plus 4, a CoreXY 3D printer. A key feature of the Plus 4 is its large, fully enclosed build volume with an actively heated build chamber capable of reaching temperatures up to 65°C. This feature is critical for printing with engineering-grade materials like ABS and | The product at the center of the controversy is the Qidi Tech Plus 4, a CoreXY 3D printer. A key feature of the Plus 4 is its large, fully enclosed build volume with an actively heated build chamber capable of reaching temperatures up to 65°C. This feature is critical for printing with engineering-grade materials like ABS and nylon, which are prone to warping without a consistently hot environment.<ref name="TomsHardware">{{Cite web |last=Bertacchi |first=Denise |date=18 Apr 2025 |title=QIDI Plus4 Review: Bigger is Better |url=https://www.tomshardware.com/3d-printing/qidi-plus4-review |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=Tom's Hardware}}</ref> The high-power electrical system required to heat the chamber became the focal point of the subsequent safety concerns. | ||
==The incident: House fire and censorship allegations== | ==The incident: House fire and censorship allegations== | ||
The controversy began on | The controversy began on March 31, 2025, when Reddit user u/ProgressLocal1511 alleged that their Qidi Tech Plus 4 printer had catastrophically failed and started a fire that resulted in the complete destruction of their home. According to the user's account, the printer was operating with PETG filament. Approximately 15 to 30 minutes after a routine check, smoke alarms were triggered. The user discovered dense smoke and flames emanating from the rear of the machine, and the fire escalated too rapidly to be controlled with a home fire extinguisher.<ref name="RedditPost" /> | ||
The incident's scope expanded significantly when the user reported that their attempts to warn other owners on the official r/QidiTech3d subreddit were censored. They claimed their posts were removed and their account was permanently banned from the forum.<ref name="RedditPost" /> This action was perceived by the broader community as an attempt to suppress critical safety information, triggering the "Streisand effect," where the effort to censor the report amplified its reach across social media and 3D printing news outlets.<ref name="Fabbaloo">{{Cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Kerry |date=4 Apr 2025 |title=Reports Emerge of Fires Caused by Qidi Plus 4 3D Printer |url=https://www.fabbaloo.com/news/reports-emerge-of-fires-caused-by-qidi-plus-4-3d-printer |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=Fabbaloo}}</ref> | The incident's scope expanded significantly when the user reported that their attempts to warn other owners on the official r/QidiTech3d subreddit were censored. They claimed their posts were removed and their account was permanently banned from the forum.<ref name="RedditPost" /> This action was perceived by the broader community as an attempt to suppress critical safety information, triggering the "Streisand effect," where the effort to censor the report amplified its reach across social media and 3D printing news outlets.<ref name="Fabbaloo">{{Cite web |last=Stevenson |first=Kerry |date=4 Apr 2025 |title=Reports Emerge of Fires Caused by Qidi Plus 4 3D Printer |url=https://www.fabbaloo.com/news/reports-emerge-of-fires-caused-by-qidi-plus-4-3d-printer |access-date=5 Aug 2025 |website=Fabbaloo}}</ref> | ||