An escalator is a moving staircase that transports people vertically, while a moving walks is a moving walkway that transports people horizontally. Most of us may have used escalators and moving walks, and have not even considered how these devices can make our lives easier. The two sound similar, but escalators and moving walks are different from each other. Next, I will take you to understand their main differences and how these differences affect their application in different sites.
What is the escalator
What is the moving walks
There are no steps on the travelator; most will only walk on flat ground or slightly incline. Although escalators move people between floors or heights in a vertical manner, moving walkways are like slow conveyor belts that transport people to horizontal distances. Sometimes, like escalators, they can transport people on slopes and between different floors. They are usually installed in airports, just like escalators, and passengers can use railings as supports to stand or walk.
Similarly, like escalators, moving walks sometimes appear in pairs, transporting people in opposite directions. The inclination angle is narrower or smaller than the inclination angle of the escalator.
Escalators & Moving walks: Similrities and Differences
Flow
Escalators allow companies to connect different floors in a specific order and guide large numbers of people through certain areas. Sloping moving walks can also help achieve the same type of multi-layer connection. Horizontally moving sidewalks connect horizontally related spaces, allowing people to quickly pass through necessary large spaces such as airports and railway stations more effectively.
Both types support fast, self-service movement across spaces. They can support higher customer density and mobility, which can potentially increase sales and profitability. The main difference between them is the vertical transportation on the floor or the horizontal transportation in a large space.
Energy Efficiency
For moving walks and escalators, energy consumption depends to a large extent on total running time and passenger capacity.
Using different modes for escalators and moving walks can improve energy efficiency. Intermittent drive with sensor system can realize these different modes. For example, your site can use continuous operation mode, which will be the least energy-efficient setting. The stop-and-go mode can provide an on-demand transportation. When there is no one on the escalator or moving sidewalk, it will turn off the power to stand by.
Or, you can use the crawl mode for continuous operation, which will automatically turn on when no one is riding on the escalator or moving sidewalk. At the same time, when a passenger approaches, the crawl mode will be turned off.
Property Type
Depending on the property, an escalator or moving walk may be more suitable for your purpose.
Airport-The flat, stair-free design of the moving walkway makes it popular in airports and other places because it is easier to move luggage carts on a flat surface. A similar type of station may be the main station.
Shopping malls-Shopping malls may rarely use flat moving walks, but escalators and inclined moving walks that support shopping trolleys may be important supplements to these sites.
Crowded spaces such as hotels-hotels are not suitable for moving walks, but there are escalators to support guests to move around. Similarly, cinemas, libraries, and museums all use escalators.
Commercial centers-large venues such as commercial centers need to accommodate a large number of people, a large flow of people, booths, special equipment and other things. Tourists may need to travel long distances, so inclined moving walks, flat moving walks and escalators may all be useful supplements.
