From reactive to predictive: how wireless condition monitoring is changing industrial maintenance

Unplanned downtime is one of the most costly problems in industrial operations. A bearing fails, a motor overheats, and suddenly you are dealing with emergency callouts, lost production, and a chain reaction across your site. For many facilities, the issue is not a lack of care but a lack of visibility.

Traditional maintenance models rely on scheduled inspections, often carried out by third-party service providers visiting every few months. The problem is that a lot can happen between visits. Equipment in unmanned areas can degrade without any early warning, and by the time something fails, the damage is already done.

Pacific Automation, in partnership with Advantech, offers a wireless condition monitoring solution designed to close that gap.

A real-world example from grain handling

One of the clearest illustrations of what is possible comes from a major grain handling facility that experienced a serious incident when a bearing failure led to overheating and a fire. The result was 36 hours of unplanned downtime and significant equipment damage.

The facility trialled an Advantech WISE-2410X sensor on a motor in a compressor room, with a WISE-6610 gateway placed roughly 200 m away in a portable office. The system transmitted data reliably via LoRaWAN from day one, and after a successful pilot it was rolled out across the site with over 600 WISE-2410X sensors monitoring critical machinery points, integrated into the site’s existing SCADA and control systems.

The outcome was a shift from reactive to proactive maintenance: 24/7 visibility across equipment, faster response to early warning signs, and a meaningful reduction in fire risk from undetected overheating.

How the system works

The Advantech WISE-2410 is a battery-powered wireless sensor that monitors vibration and temperature on rotating equipment such as motors, pumps, fans, and conveyors. It uses a 3-axis accelerometer and is built around the ISO 10816 standard for evaluating machine vibration on non-rotating parts, covering a frequency range of 10–1,000 Hz.

Sensors transmit data via LoRaWAN to the WISE-6610 industrial gateway, which supports up to 100 sensor nodes and connects to existing control infrastructure using standard protocols including MQTT, Modbus/TCP, OPC-UA, EtherNet/IP, and BACnet/IP. The system works with cloud, on-premise, and existing SCADA environments.

For sites with hazardous areas, the WISE-2410X is IECEx certified for Zone 21 dust and Zone 2 gas environments, with IP66 ratings. This makes it suitable for grain terminals, flour mills, and other facilities where conventional electronics cannot be safely used.

Turning data into decisions with WISE-IoTSuite

Hardware alone is only part of the picture. The optional WISE-IoTSuite software platform collects, visualises, and alerts on live sensor data so the team can act quickly and plan better. Key features include:

• real-time dashboards showing live vibration and temperature trends
• configurable alarm thresholds to catch anomalies early
• historical logging for maintenance planning and trend analysis
• remote access so assets can be monitored from anywhere.
   

Whether monitoring a single critical asset or a full plant, WISE-IoTSuite gives the insight to act before issues escalate.

Starter kits for fast deployment

Pacific Automation offers two starter kits to get a system up and running quickly. Kit 1 includes one WISE-2410 sensor and one WISE-6610 gateway, a practical starting point for monitoring a single critical asset. Kit 2 includes two sensors and one gateway for broader coverage from day one. Both kits include mounting hardware and batteries for fast setup.

The wireless design means no major cabling or system overhaul is needed, and the LoRaWAN architecture scales naturally as needs grow. Adding sensors to expand coverage requires no rework to the existing setup.

Ready to take the next step?

If you are dealing with equipment in unmanned areas, long gaps between inspections, or a history of unplanned failures, condition monitoring is worth a closer look. Pacific Automation’s team can help you work out the right combination of sensors, gateways, and software for your site, whether you are retrofitting existing equipment or building a new system from the ground up.

Get in touch with Pacific Automation on 1300 881 876 or through the website to request a condition monitoring assessment tailored to your assets and environment.