Predictika · Epitaxy tool quotes

An AI sales agent's epitaxy tool quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for 300 mm epitaxy tools: the Intrepid model, the number of process modules and optional Previum pre-clean modules, the epitaxy process and film thickness, the support tier, the service term and a discount. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of what fits what and returns a verdict and every reason.

Scope: ASM Intrepid ES and Intrepid ESA 300 mm epitaxy tools on the XP cluster platform: process modules, Previum pre-clean, epitaxy process, film thickness, support, discount and upgrades. See everything this validator covers

This validator models Intrepid ES and ESA tool quotes, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Process modules and ports — up to four process modules per tool, and the modules together with any Previum pre-clean modules must fit the ports of the platform.
  • Model and process — Intrepid ESA is for silicon epitaxy for analog and power devices, while SiGe and SiP processes need Intrepid ES; both process 300 mm wafers only.
  • Film thickness — each model supports films only up to a limit.
  • Support and discount — premium support needs a service term, a discount above 15 percent needs approval and one above 30 percent is never allowed.
  • Upgrades and totals — an upgrade order covers one installed tool, and the module total the quote states is compared with the total computed from the tools quoted.

Any Intrepid quote that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: other ASM products. The Intrepid ES and ESA names, 300 mm wafers, up to four process modules on the XP cluster platform and the optional Previum pre-clean follow the public ASM website. The platform port limit, the process support of each model, the film thickness limits, the pre-clean approval, the support and discount thresholds and the upgrade rule are modeled from comparable epitaxy tools, not published by ASM. No prices are modeled.

The AI sales agentBuilds the tool quote from the conversation with the customer and says it is ready.
Predictika validatorChecks every rule at once and returns the verdict, each finding, and the computed figures.

6 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

Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.

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
Module and port limits across linesOnly with care
The modules per tool, the Previum modules and the installed modules of an upgrade each count toward different limits, so a rule must add them across lines.		The module counts are summed inside the model and every limit is checked in the same pass.
Processes that depend on the modelOnly with workarounds
A compatibility table or one rule per model and process, edited again whenever a process or a tool is added.		The model and the process are checked together on every call.
A module total reconciled with a stated oneOnly with workarounds
The total comes from the tools quoted and the modules on each, and a separate calculation is needed to compare it with the figure the quote states.		The total is computed inside the model and compared with the stated one on every call.
Support and discount thresholdsOnly with care
Premium support needs a term, and the discount has an approval threshold and a blocking one, so the rules must be ordered and kept apart.		Every threshold is checked in the same pass and each finding says whether it blocks or needs a person.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote is saved or a step is completed, so a person 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 tool would have 5 process modules after this order; the maximum is 4.
2SiGe or SiP epitaxy is quoted without a Previum pre-clean module; a process engineer should confirm surface preparation.
3Process modules plus Previum pre-clean modules need 6 platform ports; the platform offers 5.
4An upgrade order covers one installed tool; the quote has 2.
5The customer runs 200 mm wafers; Intrepid ES and ESA process 300 mm wafers only.
6Intrepid ESA is for silicon epitaxy for analog and power devices; SiGe and SiP processes need Intrepid ES.
7The customer needs a 12 um film; this model supports up to 10 um.
8Premium support needs a service term of at least 1 year; the quote has 0.
9The 20 percent discount is above 15 percent and needs sales management approval.
10The quote has a 35 percent discount; discounts above 30 percent are not allowed.
11The quote states 8 process modules in total; the quoted tools give 6.

  

  

    
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. ESA quoted with SiGe, too many modules and a stated total that is off: Two Intrepid ESA tools with five process modules each, for SiGe epitaxy, and a 20 percent discount

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 Intrepid ESA tools, each with 5 process modules and 0 Previum pre-clean modules, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 4 micrometers, 300 millimeter wafers, standard support and a 20 percent discount. The quote states 8 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Too many process modules. The tool would have 5 process modules after this order; the maximum is 4.
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  • Process not supported on ESA. Intrepid ESA is for silicon epitaxy for analog and power devices; SiGe and SiP processes need Intrepid ES.
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  • Stated module total does not match. The quote states 8 process modules in total; the quoted tools give 10.
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  • Advanced epi without pre-clean. SiGe or SiP epitaxy is quoted without a Previum pre-clean module; a process engineer should confirm surface preparation.
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  • Discount needs approval. The 20 percent discount is above 15 percent and needs sales management approval.
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2. ESA quoted with SiGe, too many modules and a stated total that is off: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 Intrepid ES tools, each with 4 process modules and 1 Previum pre-clean module, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 2 micrometers, 300 millimeter wafers, standard support and a 10 percent discount. The quote states 8 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. 2 tool(s), 8 process modules in total, 1 Previum pre-clean module(s) per tool.
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3. Upgrade of two tools with too many modules: An upgrade of two installed Intrepid ES tools, adding two process modules and a Previum pre-clean module

    
The agent's request. Please quote an upgrade of 2 installed Intrepid ES tools, each with 3 process modules already, adding 2 process modules and 1 Previum pre-clean module, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 1 micrometer, 300 millimeter wafers, standard support and a 10 percent discount. The quote states 5 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Too many process modules. The tool would have 5 process modules after this order; the maximum is 4.
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  • Platform ports exceeded. Process modules plus Previum pre-clean modules need 6 platform ports; the platform offers 5.
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  • Upgrade of several tools. An upgrade order covers one installed tool; the quote has 2.
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  • Stated module total does not match. The quote states 5 process modules in total; the quoted tools give 10.
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4. Upgrade of two tools with too many modules: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote an upgrade of 1 installed Intrepid ES tool, each with 3 process modules already, adding 1 process module and 1 Previum pre-clean module, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 1 micrometer, 300 millimeter wafers, standard support and a 10 percent discount. The quote states 4 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. 1 tool(s), 4 process modules in total, 1 Previum pre-clean module(s) per tool.
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5. 200 millimeter wafers, premium support without a term, discount too high: Premium support without a service term on 200 millimeter wafers, with a 35 percent discount

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 Intrepid ES tools, each with 3 process modules and 1 Previum pre-clean module, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 1 micrometer, 200 millimeter wafers, premium support for 0 years and a 35 percent discount. The quote states 6 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Wafer size not 300 mm. The customer runs 200 mm wafers; Intrepid ES and ESA process 300 mm wafers only.
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  • Premium support needs a service term. Premium support needs a service term of at least 1 year; the quote has 0.
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  • Discount over the limit. The quote has a 35 percent discount; discounts above 30 percent are not allowed.
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6. 200 millimeter wafers, premium support without a term, discount too high: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 Intrepid ES tools, each with 3 process modules and 1 Previum pre-clean module, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 1 micrometer, 300 millimeter wafers, premium support for 3 years and a 12 percent discount. The quote states 6 process modules in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Quote summary. 2 tool(s), 6 process modules in total, 1 Previum pre-clean module(s) per tool.
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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 quote for 300 mm epitaxy tools: the Intrepid model, the number of process modules and optional Previum pre-clean modules, the epitaxy process and film thickness, and more. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of what fits what and returns a verdict and every reason.
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  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
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  3. The agent says. Please quote 2 Intrepid ESA tools, each with 5 process modules and 0 Previum pre-clean modules, for SiGe epitaxy with a film of 4 micrometers. The quote states 8 process modules in total. The rest of the request is on screen.
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  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with three findings and two approvals, all in one answer. The tool would have 5 process modules after this order; the maximum is 4. Intrepid ESA is for silicon epitaxy for analog and power devices; SiGe and SiP processes need Intrepid ES. The quote states 8 process modules in total; the quoted tools give 10.
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  6. The validator returned three blocking findings and two approvals 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 and against the stated total.
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  7. What this shows: for a module total reconciled with a stated one, a rules-based CPQ can do this only with workarounds.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the model to Intrepid ES, the process modules to 4, the previum pre-clean modules to 1, the film thickness to 2 um and the discount to 10 percent.
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  10. It calls the validator again.
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  11. This time the validator clears it.
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  12. All five earlier findings are cleared.
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  13. Five problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
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