QIDI’s documented path for a first print on the Q2 runs through QIDI Studio, the company’s own slicer, rather than a third-party program. Open it for the first time and it asks for your region, then your printer model, then the filament type or types you expect to use, and it saves those as presets so you aren’t asked again next time.
From there, start a new project and load a model using the Add button or Ctrl+I. QIDI Studio reads .3mf, .stl, .step, .amf and .obj files, so most downloaded models will open without converting anything first. Before slicing, check three presets: the printer preset needs to match both your Q2 and the nozzle diameter actually installed, the filament preset needs to match what’s loaded in the extruder, and the process preset sets the layer height and the rest of the print settings.
With those three lined up, click Slice Plate to generate the G-code. QIDI Studio switches to the Preview tab once it finishes, showing the sliced model, the estimated filament use and print time, and a slider for stepping through the print layer by layer, useful for catching obvious problems before any filament actually gets used.
To print, use Print Plate or Send to push the job to the Q2 over the network, which means the printer needs to already be connected, or export the sliced file and bring it over on a USB drive for offline printing. QIDI is explicit that a mismatch anywhere in this chain, the wrong filament type, the wrong printer preset, or the wrong nozzle size, can cause a failed print or a clogged nozzle. It’s worth double-checking those three presets against what’s actually loaded in the machine before slicing.
Once the print starts, the Q2’s built-in AI camera keeps watching in the background for the kind of tangled extrusion known as a spaghetti failure, adding a bit of a safety net beyond just checking on the print yourself now and then. This walkthrough sticks to QIDI Studio because that’s the flow QIDI documents for new users. OrcaSlicer and PrusaSlicer both work fine with the Q2, but setting either one up is its own topic, covered in a separate slicer guide.
A finished first print is a good sign, not proof the printer is fully dialed in. The general first-layer troubleshooting guide is worth bookmarking for later prints, and if the plate needs attention before your next file, the Q2 setup guide covers the initial leveling pass. From here, the Q2 calibration guide covers the two documented situations where a manual fix is needed.