Conveyors, escalators and moving walkways run long hours with availability targets. Artesis follows their motors, gearboxes, chains and belts from the electrical panel — and spots process and usage problems along the way.
Escalators and walkways in airports and metros face regulatory availability targets; conveyors in mines and plants feed the whole process. Their drives sit in pits, trusses and tail ends that are awkward to reach.
Chain, gearbox and belt problems develop slowly, then stop the line. Because the drive motor carries the whole load, its current reflects mechanical condition, load changes and even how the equipment is being used.
e-MCM uses the existing current and voltage signals. Nothing is mounted in the truss, pit or along the belt.
Baselines reflect real passenger or material load, including idle and night-time running.
Findings flag chain, gearbox, alignment and electrical problems — plus unexpected stops and unnecessary running.

In the current software, the spectrum is judged against learned normal and high envelopes, fault domain by fault domain. Screen from a 2026 report on another asset. Select to open full size.

The AI analysis report now names foundation looseness automatically, with the spectral evidence behind it. From another asset.
Faults in the escalator itself
The spectral pattern matched a tunnel boring machine’s cutters working a few metres below the escalator.
The alarmOn a metro escalator, one parameter suddenly rose to about 1,500 standard deviations above normal. By the next morning everything was back to normal — then it happened again, several days in a row.
The analysisThe spectrum showed a pattern typical of foundation vibration. The rise started around 17:00 each day.
The causeA new rail tunnel was being bored only metres below the escalator. The machine started late in the day, and the passing of its cutters shook the escalator foundations.
Source: Artesis metro escalator case study. Visuals are current Artesis AMTPro and AI report views from another asset, shown for reference. Operator and project names withheld.

In a joint test with the escalator maintainer, the drive chain was deliberately loosened at night. From 00:15 the transmission-element parameter rose as expected — visible in the trend while staying below the alarm level for the short test.

Artesis saw the load on a conveyor drive fall. Maintenance found the belt scraper worn and no longer pressing with enough force — a process problem found from the motor current.
At a major international airport, walkways and escalators must run at least 99% of the time, every month. Beyond early warnings, MCM units uncovered long-standing problems — including motor control issues and shaft misalignment — so they could be corrected to reduce wear and future downtime.
Online monitoring of four metro escalators showed one standing still for much of the day, and another running continuously — even when it should have stopped at night — wasting about 50 kWh a day.
Spot tests from the MCC on three further escalators found a transmission-element fault (action within 3 months), a combined transmission and stator fault, and a stator fault (each within 6 months).
Cases are individual outcomes from Artesis field deployments between 2008 and 2016. All visuals are from Artesis software. Operator names are withheld.
Evidence strength reflects how reliably a condition produces an observable electrical pattern in typical conveyor and escalator installations — not a guarantee of detection.
| Condition | What changes in the signal | Evidence | Field case |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive train · mechanical | |||
| Chain slack and wear | Transmission-element parameter | Good | Metro chain test |
| Gearbox and transmission | Transmission-element indicator | Good | Metro AMTPro tests |
| Shaft misalignment | Alignment-related pattern | Good | Airport walkways |
| Foundation and structure | Foundation and structure-related pattern | Good | Metro escalator → |
| Motor · electrical | |||
| Stator windings | Current imbalance well above voltage imbalance | Strong | Metro AMTPro tests |
| Motor controls and supply | Per-phase RMS, voltage imbalance, harmonics | Strong | Airport walkways |
| Rotor bars | Rotor-related pattern in the current spectrum | Strong | — |
| Process · usage | |||
| Belt scraper and load changes | Load level versus learned baseline | Good | Mining conveyor |
| Unexpected stops, 24/7 running | Run/stop pattern and energy use | Strong | Metro escalators |
We state the limits up front, so monitoring is set up where it adds most and paired with the right complementary checks.
Idler and roller faults far from the drive may not change the drive load enough to be seen.
Splice damage and belt tracking are better covered by belt inspection systems.
Handrail drive and step issues show only if they affect the main drive load.
Each drive is monitored separately; load sharing needs care in the baseline.
Observed patterns are interpreted by qualified personnel; they guide investigation rather than replace it. AMTPro spot tests need near-constant speed (±1% frequency) during capture.
Artesis Insight turns spectra and trends into plain-language explanations and next steps. Your team does not need to be an ESA specialist to act on a result.
A rising transmission-element parameter on an escalator suggests chain slack or wear. Check chain tension and sprocket condition at the next maintenance window.
After action
Confirm the parameter returns to its learned level after adjustment.
Example wording only; not a live alarm or a reproduced AI report.
No. Everything is measured in the drive’s control cabinet.
Yes. In a controlled test, deliberately loosening an escalator drive chain showed up clearly in the transmission-element trend.
Artesis learns the normal load pattern, including peaks and idle running, before judging changes.
Yes. The airport case used MCM units as part of its strategy to meet a 99% monthly availability target.
Motor nameplate data, drive arrangement, typical duty cycle, starter or drive type and the measurement points in the cabinet.
Tell us about your drives and availability targets. We’ll suggest where to start.
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