Predictika · Industrial and specialty gases

An AI sales agent's argon cylinder order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for argon pure gases from the Airgas catalog: the argon grade, cylinder size, valve outlet, regulator stage and delivery pressure range, the delivery pressure the customer needs and the number of cylinders on each of two order lines, plus the total cubic feet it states. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the published catalog tables and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Argon pure gases cylinder orders: grade, cylinder size, valve outlet, regulator stage and delivery pressure range, cylinder count and total contents, on up to two order lines. See everything this validator covers

This validator models Airgas argon pure gases orders as listed in the public Airgas catalog pages for Argon (Alphagaz, Research, Semiconductor, Ultra-Pure Carrier, Ultra High Purity, ICP-UHP and high-pressure grades), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Grade and cylinder size — each argon grade is listed for particular cylinder sizes (for example, Alphagaz Nano only in the 300 cylinder, Research Plus in the 300, 200 and 150A, ICP-UHP only in the 180 and 230 liter liquid cylinders, and high pressure in the 6K and 3K), and each size has a published content in cubic feet and a valve outlet (CGA 580, with CGA 677 on the 6K and CGA 680 on the 3K).
  • Regulator and delivery pressure — the catalog offers a regulator stage and pressure range code (A, B, C, D or G) per grade, and each code covers a psig range; a delivery pressure outside it, a code the grade does not offer, a missing code, or range G with a two-stage regulator are caught.
  • Valve options — stainless steel and DISS valve outlets are listed only for the semiconductor grade, and even there the catalog gives no product number, so the order goes to a person.
  • Quantities and stated totals — cylinder counts, and a stated total in cubic feet that must equal the cylinders times the published contents.

Any argon order that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (the catalog pages list none, so this page shows no price build-up), other gases, gas mixtures and the helium, hydrogen, nitrogen and air catalog pages, cylinder rental, hazmat and delivery charges, and availability or lead times. The cylinder contents are the catalog's nominal figures.

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

7 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
Grade and cylinder size combinations the catalog lists (nine grades, nine sizes)Only with workarounds
Each grade is offered in particular sizes, so a rules-based CPQ needs a compatibility table or one rule per pair, and every catalog revision means editing them.		Grade and size arrive in one request and are matched to the published pairs on every call.
Regulator pressure range codes that depend on grade, stage and cylinderOnly with care
Which codes exist, what psig range each covers, and the single-stage-only rule for G are three dependent tables, and the delivery pressure then has to be compared with the range.		The code, the stage, the cylinder and the delivery pressure are compared together on every call.
Stainless and DISS valve outlets only on the semiconductor gradeOnly with care
This is an exclusion on one grade plus an approval on another, and an approval step is easy to leave out.		The block and the approval are raised together from the grade and the valve chosen.
Total cubic feet the order statesOnly with care
The total is cylinders times the contents of each size, summed over the lines, so a rule has to recompute it and compare.		The stated total travels with the order and is compared with the computed total on every call.
Two order lines where an unused line must not be checkedOnly with workarounds
Rules per line fire whether or not the line is used unless each is guarded, which is easy to miss.		Each line is checked only when it has a quantity.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the order 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 order has 0 cylinders on line 1 and 6 on line 2; line 1 needs at least 1 and line 2 cannot be negative.
2The order has 12 cylinders on line 1 and -1 on line 2; line 1 needs at least 1 and line 2 cannot be negative.
3Line 1 asks for a cylinder size that the catalog does not list for that argon grade.
4Line 1 asks for a regulator stage that the catalog does not list for that argon grade.
5Line 1 needs a delivery pressure of 3,501 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 200 to 3,500 psig.
6Line 1 needs a delivery pressure of 399 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 400 to 6,000 psig.
7Line 1 needs a delivery pressure of 1,501 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 200 to 1,500 psig.
8Line 1 has a regulator whose delivery pressure range code is missing or not offered for this grade, stage and cylinder.
9Line 2 needs a delivery pressure of 3 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 4 to 150 psig.
10Line 1 asks for a stainless steel or DISS valve on semiconductor grade; the catalog says cylinders can be provided with them but lists no product number, so a person should confirm.
11Line 1 asks for a stainless steel or DISS valve; the catalog offers that only on the semiconductor grade.
12The order states 4,627 cubic feet of gas in total; the catalog contents give 4,626 cubic feet.

  

  

    
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. High-pressure range, Nano stage and stated total: A research institute order of high-pressure and Alphagaz Nano argon

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 high pressure argon cylinders (size 6K) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range A at 4000 psig, plus 6 Alphagaz Nano argon cylinders (size 300) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range B at 40 psig. The order states 2,264 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Delivery pressure outside the regulator range, line 1. Line 1 needs a delivery pressure of 4,000 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 200 to 3,500 psig.
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  • Regulator stage not offered, line 2. Line 2 asks for a regulator stage that the catalog does not list for that argon grade.
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  • Stated total contents do not match. The order states 2,264 cubic feet of gas in total; the catalog contents give 4,280 cubic feet.
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2. High-pressure range, Nano stage and stated total: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 high pressure argon cylinders (size 6K) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range B at 4000 psig, plus 6 Alphagaz Nano argon cylinders (size 300) with a standard valve, a two-stage regulator on range B at 40 psig. The order states 4,280 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 10 cylinders on 2 order lines, 4,280 cubic feet of argon in total; valve outlet CGA 677 on line 1 and CGA 580 on line 2.
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3. Regulator range and delivery pressure: A university semiconductor lab order of semiconductor and research grade argon

    
The agent's request. Please quote 8 Semiconductor argon cylinders (size 200) with a standard valve, a two-stage regulator on range G at 200 psig, plus 4 Research argon cylinders (size 35) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range C at 3 psig. The order states 2,164 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Regulator pressure range code not offered, line 1. Line 1 has a regulator whose delivery pressure range code is missing or not offered for this grade, stage and cylinder.
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  • Delivery pressure outside the regulator range, line 2. Line 2 needs a delivery pressure of 3 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 4 to 150 psig.
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4. Regulator range and delivery pressure: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 8 Semiconductor argon cylinders (size 200) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range G at 200 psig, plus 4 Research argon cylinders (size 35) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range C at 20 psig. The order states 2,164 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 12 cylinders on 2 order lines, 2,164 cubic feet of argon in total; valve outlet CGA 580 on line 1 and CGA 580 on line 2.
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5. Stainless and DISS valve options: An analytical lab order asking for stainless steel and DISS valves

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 Semiconductor argon cylinders (size 300) with a stainless steel valve, a two-stage regulator on range D at 80 psig, plus 6 Ultra High Purity argon cylinders (size 80) with a DISS valve, a two-stage regulator on range B at 40 psig. The order states 3,954 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Stainless or DISS valve on another grade, line 2. Line 2 asks for a stainless steel or DISS valve; the catalog offers that only on the semiconductor grade.
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  • Stainless or DISS valve to confirm, line 1. Line 1 asks for a stainless steel or DISS valve on semiconductor grade; the catalog says cylinders can be provided with them but lists no product number, so a person should confirm.
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6. Stainless and DISS valve options: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 Semiconductor argon cylinders (size 300) with a stainless steel valve, a two-stage regulator on range D at 80 psig, plus 6 Ultra High Purity argon cylinders (size 80) with a standard valve, a two-stage regulator on range B at 40 psig. The order states 3,954 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Stainless or DISS valve to confirm, line 1. Line 1 asks for a stainless steel or DISS valve on semiconductor grade; the catalog says cylinders can be provided with them but lists no product number, so a person should confirm.
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  • Order summary. 16 cylinders on 2 order lines, 3,954 cubic feet of argon in total; valve outlet CGA 580 on line 1 and CGA 580 on line 2.
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7. Stainless and DISS valve options: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 10 Semiconductor argon cylinders (size 300) with a standard valve, a two-stage regulator on range D at 80 psig, plus 6 Ultra High Purity argon cylinders (size 80) with a standard valve, a two-stage regulator on range B at 40 psig. The order states 3,954 cubic feet of argon in total. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 16 cylinders on 2 order lines, 3,954 cubic feet of argon in total; valve outlet CGA 580 on line 1 and CGA 580 on line 2.
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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 an order for argon pure gases from the Airgas catalog: the argon grade, cylinder size, valve outlet, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the published catalog tables and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote 4 high pressure argon cylinders (size 6K) with a standard valve, a single-stage regulator on range A at 4000 psig. The order states 2,264 cubic feet of argon in total. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with three findings, all in one answer. Line 1 needs a delivery pressure of 4,000 psig; the chosen regulator range covers 200 to 3,500 psig. Line 2 asks for a regulator stage that the catalog does not list for that argon grade. The order states 2,264 cubic feet of gas in total; the catalog contents give 4,280 cubic feet.
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  6. The validator returned three blocking findings 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 regulator pressure range codes that depend on grade, stage and cylinder, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the line 1 range code to B, the line 2 regulator stage to two-stage and the stated total argon as to 4,280 cubic feet.
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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 three earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
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  13. Three 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.
    14.