Waites AI Predictive Maintenance with Wireless Sensors

Waites Sensor Technologies is a predictive maintenance company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, with global installation and service teams. It serves cement, mining, automotive, food and beverage, pharmaceuticals, chemicals and facilities operators that want to catch failures of motors, pumps, fans and gearboxes before they stop production.

The ecosystem combines wireless and wired sensors, a private 802.15.4 mesh network and an AI platform. The flagship SM7 sensor is intrinsically safe for Class I Division 1 areas, S4B suits washdown zones, SV5 is a compact tethered tri-axis sensor and PiezoNode streams data from piezoelectric sensors on hot turbines and compressors. Gateways with encrypted cellular links need no PLC access or IT involvement. AI models trained on over 13 trillion readings flag faults, and CAT-certified analysts review every alert and issue prescriptive work orders. Customers include Owens Corning, Buzzi Unicem and Domtar.

• SM7 wireless sensor: intrinsically safe C1D1 sensor rated IP69K for harsh and hazardous sites.
• Tethered sensors: S4B for washdown areas and SV5 tri-axis vibration and temperature sensor for hard-to-reach assets.
• PiezoNode: quad-channel IEPE node for turbines, generators and compressors in high heat.
• Private mesh network: air-gapped 802.15.4 mesh with cellular gateways and 900 m line-of-sight range.
• AI plus certified analysts: machine learning fault detection reviewed by CAT-certified analysts 24/7.
• CMMS integration: work orders with prescriptive guidance, including a partnership with MaintainX.

A cement plant in Vietnam can cover kiln drives, fans and crushers with intrinsically safe wireless sensors. An automotive or EV assembly plant can monitor conveyors, robots' gearboxes and compressors across sites. A food factory can use washdown-rated sensors on mixers and pumps.

Waites states that the SM7 detects over 99.9% of downtime-causing events and that more than 500,000 sensors are installed across six continents. Published client results include US$11 million in savings at Owens Corning, US$32 million across six plants of an automaker and a three-month ROI at Buzzi Unicem. Analyst-verified alerts in plain language reduce false alarms for plant teams.

Plants increasingly want wireless monitoring that can be installed without touching control systems or involving IT, because OT security and integration costs slow down projects. In Vietnam and Southeast Asia, cement, automotive and food plants seek predictive maintenance that bundles hardware, network and expert review, as in-house vibration expertise is limited.

Waites is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and states that it communicates with clients in 13 languages and has installed sensors on six continents. It won the ReliabilityWeb.com Best IoT Solution award in April 2025, launched the PiezoNode in December 2025 and offers white-label hardware options for distributors.