One of the main barriers to reducing delays at airports is baggage handling equipment failures. During peak seasons, baggage handling functions run at 150% capacity, leaving no room for downtime. When equipment unexpectedly malfunctions, it causes significant delays to boarding and reclaiming luggage.
Until now, 80% of baggage handling downtime at London Stansted Airport was due to mechanical faults leading to the failure of conveyors. Samotics’s SAM4 Health solution addresses this issue by delivering continuous insights into the health and performance of assets. This allows maintenance teams to take proactive measures against developing faults and prevent unexpected breakdowns. The system’s detection performance across both electrical and mechanical faults is expected to enable the airport staff to identify and prevent more than 90% of potential faults up to five months in advance.
Samotics’ SAM4 technology enables the remote capture of performance data by using a technique called electrical signature analysis (ESA). ESA analyses the current and voltage signals of electric-driven motor systems using sensors installed in the motor control cabinet, rather than on the asset itself. This means that SAM4 is quick to install and does not incur an upfront downtime, enabling rapid deployment at minimal cost.
Jasper Hoogeweegen, CEO at Samotics said: “Our technology helps airports address a fundamental challenge by identifying and resolving developing faults before they happen. With accurate health and performance data, operational teams can schedule maintenance at their convenience rather than reacting to an unforeseen fault. With less downtime, passengers and airlines benefit from reduced delays and a smoother travelling experience.”
Samotics’ SAM4 Health solution will be rolled out to dozens of baggage handling systems located across arrival and departure halls.