Case Study: Online Monitoring of 120 Motors and Artesis e-MCM Payback

About this case. This is a typical calculation scenario compiled from field experience with sensorless monitoring deployments. Figures are rounded and illustrate the payback-assessment methodology; we will calculate exact figures for your site based on your actual motor fleet.

Starting situation

A plant with a large fleet of electric motors: pumps, fans, induced-draft fans, conveyors, crushers. In total — around 600 motors, of which 120 are critical, meaning their failure halts the production process. The existing diagnostic program was route-based vibration monitoring: a portable analyzer covered only part of the fleet once a quarter.

Symptoms that brought the chief power engineer to us:

• sudden failures of critical motors between scheduled rounds;
• not enough vibration analysts to cover the entire fleet;
• inability to mount sensors on motors in hard-to-reach and hazardous areas.

A classic picture: defects "ripen" in blind spots between rounds and only become visible once they cause a failure.

What was deployed

Online monitoring with Artesis e-MCM was installed on 120 critical motors, while the portable Artesis AMT Pro was used for periodic surveys of the rest of the fleet. Data was centralized in the Artesis IoT cloud.

Why sensorless ESA specifically (a detailed comparison is in the article "Artesis vs. the Competition"):

• connects in the MCC cabinet, with no sensors on rotating parts — installation takes 1–2 hours per motor, including in hazardous areas;
• covers all 120 critical machines 24/7, not a sample;
• automatic AI verdict — does not require a dedicated vibration analyst for every machine;
• sees mechanical, electrical, and process conditions at once (imbalance, misalignment, bearings, rotor defects, eccentricity, pump cavitation).

Results in the first year

Event	Effect
Pump bearing defect caught ~4 months before failure	scheduled replacement during a planned window, no emergency shutdown
Developing misalignment after induced-draft fan repair	corrected before coupling and bearing damage
Conveyor power-consumption drift	contamination/overload identified, operating mode adjusted

Two prevented failures of critical motors — the key financial outcome.

Payback calculation

Assumptions (rounded):

• cost of one unplanned outage of a critical unit (repair + lost production) ≈ 15–25 million KZT;
• replacement/rewind of a large motor ≈ from $50,000;
• monitoring covers 120 motors online plus route-based surveys for the rest of the fleet.

Item	Amount (indicative)
e-MCM system for 120 motors + AMT Pro + IoT	project investment
2 prevented critical motor failures	≈ 30–50 million KZT/year
Additional: energy savings and extended service life	on top
Payback	under one year

Even a single prevented failure of a large motor typically covers a significant share of the project cost. After that, the system keeps delivering savings year after year.

What it delivered beyond money

• the critical fleet is under 24/7 control instead of "once a quarter on a route";
• early-stage defects are caught 3–6 months ahead — repairs are scheduled at a convenient window;
• removed dependence on the shortage of vibration analysts — the automatic verdict is available to on-duty staff;
• a single dashboard for condition and trends across all sites in Artesis IoT.

Conclusion

Online motor monitoring pays for itself quickly, because a single prevented failure of a critical unit covers a significant share of the system's cost. Sensorless ESA Artesis e-MCM closes the blind spots of route-based vibration monitoring: it covers the entire critical fleet, installs in hours, and delivers an automatic verdict. For what motor monitoring is and how it works, see the foundational article.

KEG TRK is the official Artesis distributor in Kazakhstan. Submit a request — we will run a pilot on your motors and calculate the payback for your actual fleet.