A method and system is provided for monitoring manufacturing equipment and, more particularly, for monitoring manufacturing equipment in a semiconductor fabrication facility using existing tool elements. The method includes operating a tool working at an operating mode such that at least one of its control parameters is outside of a normal operating range, and measuring the at least on of the control parameters of the tool working at the operating mode outside of the normal operating range. The method further includes detecting a change to a condition of the tool based on the measuring of the at least one control parameter.