Artisan: errors 13-12, 13-17, 13-18, 13-13 or 13-15 on the dual extrusion module
Guide based on the manufacturer's official documentation; usi3d has not yet verified it on a machine.
Technology: FDM · Brand: Snapmaker · Symptoms: The printer shows an error code or message, Homing or a sensor fails (endstop, levelling) · Updated on 9 October 2026
Symptom
On the Snapmaker Artisan the print pauses and the screen shows 13-17 or 13-18 (the extruder is continuously pulled up) or 13-12 (the calibration sensor is abnormally triggered); or 13-13 (calibration failed) or 13-15 (the right extruder fails to home) appears, sometimes with noise or vibration from the motor that lifts and lowers it.
Likely causes, from most to least likely
- Too much resistance to filament feeding: the PTFE tube is knotted or crushed, the filament is tangled, the spool is mounted the wrong way or the spool holder causes too much friction.
- The part is warping and the nozzle scrapes it, pushing the hot end upwards (especially on the first layer).
- The nozzle is clogged or the filament is stuck outside and cannot be pulled in.
- The levelling sensor inside the dual extrusion module has come loose and moved down.
- For 13-15: loose lifting motor screws, a shifted motor jamming its lead screw, lifting motor wires loose or swapped with the levelling sensor wires, a badly fitted lead screw or a failed motor.
Checks to tell which one it is
- Note the exact code: 13 means the 3D printing module and the second number is the type of fault.
- Check the filament path: PTFE tube without knots or crushing, filament not tangled and spool mounted clockwise.
- If the error appears on the first layer, check whether the part is lifting from warping.
- For 13-15, listen for the right extruder's lifting motor stalling or vibrating, and check whether both blue lights on the main control board stay lit after power-on.
Before you start
Before taking anything apart, cleaning or adjusting it, switch the printer off and unplug it, unless a step says otherwise, and do not touch the nozzle, the heater block or the bed until they have cooled down. If in any doubt about electricity, heat or moving parts, stop and ask a professional.
Step-by-step fix
Reduce filament resistance
Check that the PTFE tube is not knotted or crushed, that the filament is not tangled and that the spool sits clockwise on the spool holder.
Check: The filament feeds without jerks and the print continues without pauses.
If that does not fix it: If the error appears on the first layer, stop the nozzle scraping the part (next step).
Stop the nozzle scraping the part
Level the bed again, use a brim or a raft in Luban (a raft takes more time and material and is harder to remove), apply a thin layer of glue stick to the plate and turn on the Luban options to avoid printed parts and supports when travelling.
Check: The part does not lift and the error does not return.
If that does not fix it: Reposition the module's levelling sensor (next step).
Raise the levelling sensor slightly
With the machine off, remove the four rear screws of the module (H2.0 screwdriver), take out the hot ends, remove the four top screws (H1.5) and take off the front cover and shell. With tweezers between the board and the sensor, raise the sensor slightly: the hot end then has to rise further to trigger it and the warning appears less often.
Check: After reassembly, error 13-17 or 13-18 no longer appears.
If that does not fix it: Add bearings to the spool holder to replace sliding friction with rolling friction; if it continues, contact support.
13-15: check the right lifting motor
With the machine off, check that the lifting motor screws are tight and the motor is in place, that its wires are properly connected and not swapped with the levelling sensor wires, and that the lead screw sits centred in its groove with the smooth side facing out. To test it, loosen the motor screws, take it out of the groove, power on, home the head and see whether it turns properly.
Check: The right extruder lifts, lowers and homes without noise.
If that does not fix it: If the motor does not turn, it may be faulty: contact Snapmaker support.
13-13: repeat the calibration
The screen asks you to quit and retry. First clean both nozzles, because bed levelling and Z offset calibration need them clean, then repeat Calibration → Heated Bed Leveling or Calibration → Z Offset Calibration.
Check: The calibration finishes without an error.
If that does not fix it: If the automatic Z offset is inaccurate, run Sensor Calibration inside Z Offset Calibration; if 13-13 keeps appearing, contact support.
Prevention
- Mount the spool clockwise and make sure the PTFE tube does not kink.
- Level the bed and turn on the Luban options to avoid parts and supports when travelling.
- Clean the nozzles before every calibration.
Still not fixed?
Tell usi3d's AI about your case: choose your printer, describe what you see and add photos if you like. It proposes checks step by step, with their sources.
Printers it applies to
The Snapmaker Artisan family: Artisan.
Official sources
This guide summarises the official documentation linked here:
This guide is general information: usi3d has summarised it from the official documentation linked here, and it may not match your model, its version or its firmware. If in doubt, follow the manual and the support of your printer's manufacturer. You decide what you do with your machine, and working on it may affect its warranty.