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Manufacturing · head to head

GrabCAD Print vs Waites Sensor Technologies

GrabCAD Print logo

GrabCAD Print

Manufacturing

Stratasys print preparation, free in Standard form and 5,000 US dollars a year for Pro

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Waites Sensor Technologies logo

Waites Sensor Technologies

Manufacturing

Wireless multi-point vibration and temperature monitoring sold as a monitored service, not software

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GrabCAD Print it only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.; Waites Sensor Technologies the radio protocol, gateways, sensors and analytics are a single proprietary stack, so the hardware investment cannot later be redirected at a different analytics vendor.
  • They diverge on capability: GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Waites Sensor Technologies covers Multi-point nodes.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GrabCAD Print and Waites Sensor Technologies actually diverge.

Attributes where GrabCAD Print and Waites Sensor Technologies differ
AttributeGrabCAD PrintWaites Sensor Technologies
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer user per yearquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWindows, Desktop, CloudWeb, iOS, Android

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Manufacturing).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in GrabCAD Print

  • Native CAD import
  • Multi-technology support
  • Tray arrangement and supports
  • Nesting (Pro)
  • Manufacturing templates (Pro)
  • Part labelling (Pro)
  • Wall thickness analysis (Pro)
  • Cost estimation (Pro)

Only in Waites Sensor Technologies

  • Multi-point nodes
  • Full-spectrum vibration
  • Long-range radio
  • Long battery life
  • High-temperature variant
  • Machine learning analysis
  • Analyst review
  • Stainless steel housing

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

GrabCAD Print

  • A service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per partnot Waites Sensor Technologies
  • A production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change themnot Waites Sensor Technologies
  • A design office running FDM and PolyJet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than twonot Waites Sensor Technologies
  • An engineering team importing native CAD assemblies directly rather than maintaining an STL export workflownot Waites Sensor Technologies

Waites Sensor Technologies

  • A plant instrumenting hundreds of motor and pump trains where six-point nodes cut the battery and radio maintenance burdennot GrabCAD Print
  • A food processing site needing washdown-rated wireless sensors that survive daily sanitationnot GrabCAD Print
  • Monitoring high-temperature equipment where conventional wireless sensors fail before the bearing doesnot GrabCAD Print
  • A reliability team with no in-house vibration analyst that needs findings, not spectra, delivered as a servicenot GrabCAD Print

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

GrabCAD Print

  • It only drives Stratasys printers, so the free Standard tier is a hardware retention mechanism rather than a portable tool, and prepared jobs do not move to another vendor.
  • Pro is 5,000 US dollars per named user per year on top of machines that already cost six figures, and there is no floating licence in the standard offer, so shift-based teams buy multiple seats.
  • The production features that most justify the spend, nesting and manufacturing templates, are all locked behind Pro, meaning the free tier is not viable for a bureau.
  • Stratasys materials are proprietary and cartridge-locked, so the software sits on top of a consumables model where the recurring cost is set entirely by the vendor.
  • Support and feature coverage vary by printer family; newer technologies such as SAF and the Neo SLA line have historically lagged FDM in the depth of preparation options exposed.

Waites Sensor Technologies

  • The radio protocol, gateways, sensors and analytics are a single proprietary stack, so the hardware investment cannot later be redirected at a different analytics vendor.
  • No pricing is published while the marketing claims a fraction of competitors cost, so the central claim cannot be verified without entering a sales process.
  • A multi-point node is a single point of failure for six measurement points; when the node or its battery fails, six machines go dark rather than one.
  • Wired accelerometer runs back to the node reintroduce cable routing and mechanical protection work that single-sensor wireless products were meant to eliminate.
  • The company is small and its presence is concentrated in North America, so installation support, spares and analyst coverage outside that region depend on partners rather than direct service.

Pricing, plan by plan

GrabCAD Print

Free
  • GrabCAD Print StandardFree
    • Free for Stratasys printer owners
    • Native CAD import and tray arrangement
    • Support generation and section tools
  • GrabCAD Print Pro$5000/year
    • Per named user per year
    • Automated build nesting
    • Manufacturing templates with locked process parameters

Waites Sensor Technologies

On request
  • Waites condition monitoring$undefined/year
    • Priced per monitored machine or measurement point on an annual programme
    • Hardware, gateways, platform access and analyst review bundled in the programme fee
    • Installation and sensor mounting quoted as a services engagement

Which should you pick?

Choose GrabCAD Print if

  • You need native cad import.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, Desktop, Cloud.
  • You also want multi-technology support.
GrabCAD Print review

Choose Waites Sensor Technologies if

  • You need multi-point nodes.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want full-spectrum vibration.
Waites Sensor Technologies review

Questions people ask

Is GrabCAD Print or Waites Sensor Technologies better?
Neither clearly leads. GrabCAD Print starts at Free and Waites Sensor Technologies at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GrabCAD Print or Waites Sensor Technologies?
GrabCAD Print has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for GrabCAD Print and On request for Waites Sensor Technologies.
Does GrabCAD Print or Waites Sensor Technologies run on more platforms?
GrabCAD Print runs on Windows, Desktop, Cloud. Waites Sensor Technologies runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use GrabCAD Print for free?
Yes. GrabCAD Print has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Waites Sensor Technologies starts at On request.
What is GrabCAD Print best used for?
GrabCAD Print is most often used for a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part, a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them, a design office running fdm and polyjet machines and wanting one preparation tool rather than two, an engineering team importing native cad assemblies directly rather than maintaining an stl export workflow. Of those, a service bureau nesting many small parts into a single tray to raise volume utilisation and reduce cost per part and a production department locking validated process parameters into a template so night shift operators cannot change them are not what Waites Sensor Technologies is typically brought in for.
What can GrabCAD Print do that Waites Sensor Technologies cannot?
GrabCAD Print covers Native CAD import, Multi-technology support, Tray arrangement and supports, Nesting (Pro). Waites Sensor Technologies covers Multi-point nodes, Full-spectrum vibration, Long-range radio, Long battery life.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GrabCAD Print: Is GrabCAD Print free?

GrabCAD Print Standard is free for Stratasys printer owners. GrabCAD Print Pro is 5,000 US dollars per user per year.

Waites Sensor Technologies: How many points does one node monitor?

Up to six, using wired accelerometers back to a single wireless node.

GrabCAD Print: Can it drive a non-Stratasys printer?

No. It is tied to Stratasys hardware.

Waites Sensor Technologies: Is analyst review included?

Waites includes analyst review in its programme model rather than selling it as separate consultancy, which is the main structural difference from sensor-only vendors.

GrabCAD Print: What do I actually get for the Pro fee?

Nesting, manufacturing templates, part labelling, wall thickness analysis and build cost estimation. These are production rather than prototyping features.

Waites Sensor Technologies: What is the wireless range?

Around 3,000 feet line of sight, which usually means fewer gateways per plant than short-range mesh alternatives.

GrabCAD Print: Is there a trial?

Yes, Stratasys has offered 30 and 60 day trials of Pro.

Waites Sensor Technologies: Can I export the raw data?

There is an API, but the sensors and radio are proprietary, so the data path runs through the Waites platform.

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