Predictika · Pneumatic valve terminals

An AI sales agent's valve terminal configuration, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a configuration for a pneumatic valve terminal from a fictional product family (the Aerlin AX valve terminals of the fictional Tarnholt Automation), with valves, supply plates, an electrical interface and operating pressures. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the product rules and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Aerlin AX valve terminals (sizes 8, 12 and 16): valve positions, supply plates and pressure zones, electrical interface, pilot air and operating pressure, vacuum limits. See everything this validator covers

This validator models Aerlin AX valve terminal configurations (a fictional product family from the fictional Tarnholt Automation, with invented figures), and it handles any Aerlin AX configuration, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Capacity: up to 20 valve positions on the manifold rail, with every supply plate occupying one position; stated valve positions and solenoid coils must match what the valves and plates give.
  • Supply plates and pressure zones: each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
  • Interface: the T-Link interface with interlock is for size 8 valves only, and it supplies only the first 14 solenoid coils individually from outside, so a larger coil count goes to a person to confirm.
  • Pilot air and pressure: internal pilot air covers 1.2 to 7 bar and external pilot air up to 9 bar and down to −0.8 bar (vacuum); 2x 3/2-way valves with mechanical spring need at least 2.5 bar on internal pilot air; vacuum cannot be used with the shut-off function, and not at port 1 of 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring.

Any Aerlin AX configuration that touches these rules is in scope, not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), 5/3-way valves, other valve terminal series, bus protocols and ordering-code details, pin allocation and accessories. Assumptions: single-solenoid 5/2-way valves are counted as one coil and double-solenoid 5/2-way and 2x 3/2-way valves as two; pressure minimums for other valve functions are not modeled.

The AI sales agentBuilds the valve terminal configuration from the conversation and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

8 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch

What the agent proposes

The AI sales agent says

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator


      

        
        
        
      

      
Waiting for the call.

      
    

  

  
  

    
Where rules-based CPQ gets it wrong
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Our assessment of what a typical rules-based CPQ (product rules, price rules and validation rules, as in Salesforce CPQ) does with the same cases. It is a judgment about effort and reliability, not a claim that nothing can be built.

    
What the validator caughtTypical rules-based CPQPredictika
Valve positions that include the supply plates, against a limit of 20Only with care
A summary rule that adds valve lines and supply plates; it works, but the plates are easy to leave out of the count.		Valves and plates are in one request and the total is compared with the limit on every call.
One supply plate for every pressure zoneOnly with care
A cross-line count rule between zones and plates that has to be kept in step with the other rules.		Zones and plates are compared on every call, with the rest of the rules.
An interface that only one valve size supports, and a coil limit that goes to a personOnly with care
An option that depends on another option, plus a threshold that routes to approval, each as its own rule.		Size, interface and coil count are checked together, and the approval is listed with any blocks.
Vacuum limits that depend on pilot air, valve type, port and the shut-off functionOnly with workarounds
Four interacting conditions across lines and options; each combination tends to need its own rule or a long decision table.		The conditions are checked together and every one that applies is returned.
Stated positions and coils that disagree with the valves quotedOnly with workarounds
The figure the agent states is free text or a separate field, so it takes an extra rule that compares it with a computed total.		The stated figures are part of the request and are compared with the computed ones on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the configuration is saved or a step is completed, so a rep often fixes one error and meets the next.		All findings come back together, whatever order the choices arrived in.

  

  

    
What this validator catches: findings from its test cases
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Every rule is checked on every call, in any order the choices arrive; one problem never hides another. Blocking findings stop the quote; approval findings need a person to sign off; everything else is computed.

    
1The terminal needs 21 valve positions, including supply plates; an Aerlin AX manifold rail has up to 20.
2The terminal has 0 supply plates for 1 pressure zone; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
3The terminal has no valves; at least one valve is needed.
4The terminal has 1 supply plate for 2 pressure zones; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
5The T-Link interface with interlock is available for size 8 valves only.
6With the interlock interface only the first 14 solenoid coils can be supplied individually from outside, and the valves have 21 coils in total; a person should confirm this is acceptable.
7The lowest operating pressure is 0.8 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.2 bar.
8The lowest operating pressure is 1.2 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 2.5 bar.
9The highest operating pressure is 7.5 bar; with this pilot air supply the maximum is 7.0 bar.
10The highest operating pressure is 9.5 bar; with this pilot air supply the maximum is 9.0 bar.
11The lowest operating pressure is -1.0 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is -0.8 bar.
12The lowest operating pressure is -0.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.2 bar.
13Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only.
14Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used.
15The request states 14 valve positions; the valves and supply plates need 16.
16The request states 26 solenoid coils; the valves have 21.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
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The recorded result of the validator for each scenario on this page: the request the AI agent sent, the verdict, and every finding, in the order they appear above.

    
1. Nine rules at once: A terminal that breaks seven blocking rules and needs one approval

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 12 valves and the T-Link interface with interlock, carrying 6 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 10 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 2 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 1 supply plate for 3 pressure zones. It runs on internal pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 8 bar, with vacuum at port 1 and the shut-off function. The request states 19 valve positions and 28 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • A pressure zone has no supply plate. The terminal has 1 supply plate for 3 pressure zones; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
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  • Interlock interface needs size 8. The T-Link interface with interlock is available for size 8 valves only.
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  • Lowest operating pressure too low. The lowest operating pressure is -0.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.2 bar.
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  • Highest operating pressure too high. The highest operating pressure is 8.0 bar; with this pilot air supply the maximum is 7.0 bar.
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  • Vacuum at port 1 on 3/2-way valves. Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only.
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  • Vacuum with the shut-off function. Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used.
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  • Stated solenoid coils do not match. The request states 28 solenoid coils; the valves have 30.
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  • Interlock covers only the first 14 coils. With the interlock interface only the first 14 solenoid coils can be supplied individually from outside, and the valves have 30 coils in total; a person should confirm this is acceptable.
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2. Nine rules at once: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface with interlock, carrying 6 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 10 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 2 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 3 supply plates for 3 pressure zones. It runs on external pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 8 bar, with vacuum at port 1 and the shut-off function. The request states 19 valve positions and 30 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Too many valve positions. The terminal needs 21 valve positions, including supply plates; an Aerlin AX manifold rail has up to 20.
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  • Vacuum at port 1 on 3/2-way valves. Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only.
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  • Vacuum with the shut-off function. Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used.
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  • Stated valve positions do not match. The request states 19 valve positions; the valves and supply plates need 21.
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  • Interlock covers only the first 14 coils. With the interlock interface only the first 14 solenoid coils can be supplied individually from outside, and the valves have 30 coils in total; a person should confirm this is acceptable.
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3. Nine rules at once: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface with interlock, carrying 6 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 9 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 2 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 3 supply plates for 3 pressure zones. It runs on external pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 8 bar, with vacuum. The request states 20 valve positions and 28 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Interlock covers only the first 14 coils. With the interlock interface only the first 14 solenoid coils can be supplied individually from outside, and the valves have 28 coils in total; a person should confirm this is acceptable.
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  • Terminal summary. 17 valves and 3 supply plates use 20 of the 20 valve positions; 28 solenoid coils of the 40 allowed; operating pressure limits -0.8 to 9.0 bar.
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4. Nine rules at once: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface, carrying 6 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 9 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 2 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 3 supply plates for 3 pressure zones. It runs on external pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 8 bar, with vacuum. The request states 20 valve positions and 28 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Terminal summary. 17 valves and 3 supply plates use 20 of the 20 valve positions; 28 solenoid coils of the 40 allowed; operating pressure limits -0.8 to 9.0 bar.
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5. Valve positions: A terminal that needs 21 valve positions

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface, carrying 7 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 11 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves, with 3 supply plates for 3 pressure zones. It runs on internal pilot air at operating pressures from 2.8 to 5.5 bar. The request states 21 valve positions and 29 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Too many valve positions. The terminal needs 21 valve positions, including supply plates; an Aerlin AX manifold rail has up to 20.
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6. Valve positions: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface, carrying 7 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 10 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves, with 3 supply plates for 3 pressure zones. It runs on internal pilot air at operating pressures from 2.8 to 5.5 bar. The request states 20 valve positions and 27 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Terminal summary. 17 valves and 3 supply plates use 20 of the 20 valve positions; 27 solenoid coils of the 40 allowed; operating pressure limits 1.2 to 7.0 bar.
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7. Vacuum and pilot air: Vacuum on internal pilot air with port 1 vacuum and the shut-off function

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface, carrying 5 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 6 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 3 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 2 supply plates for 2 pressure zones. It runs on internal pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 5.5 bar, with vacuum at port 1 and the shut-off function. The request states 16 valve positions and 23 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Lowest operating pressure too low. The lowest operating pressure is -0.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.2 bar.
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  • Vacuum at port 1 on 3/2-way valves. Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only.
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  • Vacuum with the shut-off function. Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used.
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8. Vacuum and pilot air: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 8 valves and the T-Link interface, carrying 5 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves, 6 double-solenoid 5/2-way valves and 3 pneumatic-spring 2x 3/2-way valves, with 2 supply plates for 2 pressure zones. It runs on external pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 5.5 bar, with vacuum. The request states 16 valve positions and 23 solenoid coils in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Terminal summary. 14 valves and 2 supply plates use 16 of the 20 valve positions; 23 solenoid coils of the 40 allowed; operating pressure limits -0.8 to 9.0 bar.
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Narration transcript
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The text of the narrated walkthrough, step by step.

    
    
      
  1. Welcome to a demo of Predictika's Validator. An AI sales agent prepares a configuration for a pneumatic valve terminal from a fictional product family (the Aerlin AX valve terminals of the fictional Tarnholt Automation). Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the product rules and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. Each tab is a different request. We will start with the first one.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote an Aerlin AX valve terminal with size 12 valves and the T-Link interface with interlock, carrying 6 single-solenoid 5/2-way valves. It runs on internal pilot air at operating pressures from -0.5 to 8 bar, with vacuum at port 1 and the shut-off function. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with seven findings and one approval, all in one answer. The terminal has 1 supply plate for 3 pressure zones; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate. The T-Link interface with interlock is available for size 8 valves only. The lowest operating pressure is -0.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.2 bar. The other four are on screen.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned seven blocking findings and one approval in one answer. A check that reads one field at a time would pass most of this; it shows only when the choices in the quote are checked against each other.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for vacuum limits that depend on pilot air, valve type, port and the shut-off function, a rules-based CPQ can do this only with workarounds.
    8. 
      
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
    9. 
      
  9. The corrected request. It changes the valve size to Size 8, the supply plates to 3, the pilot air supply to external and the stated solenoid coils to 30.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
    11. 
      
  11. Still blocked, with four findings and one approval, all in one answer. The terminal needs 21 valve positions, including supply plates; an Aerlin AX manifold rail has up to 20. Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only. Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used. The other one is on screen.
    12. 
      
  12. Five findings cleared; still blocked on vacuum at port 1 on 3/2-way valves and vacuum with the shut-off function, and newly found: too many valve positions and stated valve positions do not match.
    13. 
      
  13. The agent resubmits once more.
    14. 
      
  14. The revised request. It changes the double-solenoid 5/2-way valves to 9, the vacuum at port 1 to no, the shut-off function to no, the stated valve positions to 20 and the stated solenoid coils to 28.
    15. 
      
  15. It calls the validator once more.
    16. 
      
  16. Not blocked, but held for a person.
    17. 
      
  17. The four blocking findings are cleared; one approval remains for a person: interlock covers only the first 14 coils.
    18. 
      
  18. The agent resubmits again.
    19. 
      
  19. The next revised request. It changes the electrical interface to T-Link.
    20. 
      
  20. It calls the validator yet again.
    21. 
      
  21. This time the validator clears it.
    22. 
      
  22. The earlier finding is cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
    23. 
      
  23. Seven problems caught in one call, fixed in three passes, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer.
    24.