Predictika · Automotive refinish clearcoat system orders
An AI sales agent prepares an order for a Cromax ChromaBase "4 to 1" refinish system: a clearcoat with its hardener, a basecoat with its reducer, the mixing quantities, the pot-life and spray timings and the additives. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the published product data and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
This validator models orders for the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 clearcoat system as listed on the public Axalta Cromax US product catalog pages (read October 5, 2026), not just the scenarios shown below.
Any order for these clearcoats that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (Axalta does not publish a price list for these products, so this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), other Cromax and Axalta product lines, colour formulas, VOC compliance by region, and which of the four hardeners or reducers suits a given temperature, which the pages read do not state.
7 scenarios in 3 groups · each group runs from the agent’s first attempt to the outcome · click one to switch
Illustrative agent statement. The validator receives the structured request below.
Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)
Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run
What this means
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 caught | Typical rules-based CPQ | Predictika |
|---|---|---|
| Mix ratios that must hold on every order | Only with care A ratio rule for each clearcoat and basecoat mix works, but the quantities on the order and the stated mixed volume have to be compared separately. | The quantities are added up on every call, held to the published 4 to 1 and 1 to 1 ratios and compared with the volume the order states. |
| Timings that differ by clearcoat | Only with care HC-7776S and G2-7779S have different flash times and force-dry cycles; each needs its own rule, kept in step with the product pages. | The clearcoat is in the request, so the flash and force-dry rules for that clearcoat are applied with every other rule. |
| An option that only one clearcoat accepts, and a promoter only for blend areas | Only with workarounds Each depends on a choice on one line and a condition on another, so they need cross-line rules that interact with the rest. | Every choice is in one request, so the conflict is found whichever order the choices arrive in. |
| Pot life that depends on temperature and elapsed time | Only with workarounds The pot life is a published figure at one temperature, so the elapsed time, the shop temperature and a person to confirm have to be wired together by hand. | Time since mixing is checked against the published pot life, and a different shop temperature goes to a person. |
| Every problem returned in one answer | Only 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. |
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.
| 1 | The hardener on the quote is not one of the 7765S, 7775S, 7785S or 7795S hardeners published for the 4 to 1 clearcoats. |
| 2 | The quote has 12 oz of clearcoat and 4 oz of hardener; the published mix is 4 parts clearcoat to 1 part hardener by volume. |
| 3 | The quote states 24 oz of mixed clearcoat; the clearcoat and hardener quantities give 20 oz. |
| 4 | The reducer on the quote is not one of the 7160S, 7175S, 7185S or 7195S reducers published for ChromaBase basecoat. |
| 5 | The quote has 8 oz of ChromaBase basecoat and 4 oz of reducer; the published mix is 1 part basecoat to 1 part reducer. |
| 6 | The 222S mid-coat adhesion promoter is listed as a base for the clearcoat in blend areas only; the job has no blend area. |
| 7 | The clearcoats are listed over a properly prepared OEM topcoat; the quote says the OEM topcoat is not prepared. |
| 8 | Mixed clearcoat has a pot life of 2 hours at 70 degrees F; the job sprays it 121 minutes after mixing. |
| 9 | ChromaBase basecoat mixed with reducer has a pot life of 8 hours; the job sprays it 481 minutes after mixing. |
| 10 | The clearcoats are applied in 2 medium-wet coats; the quote has 3 coats. |
| 11 | The quote flashes 6 minutes between clearcoat coats; the published flash is 3 to 5 minutes for HC-7776S and 10 minutes for G2-7779S. |
| 12 | The quote flashes 5 minutes between clearcoat coats; the published flash is 3 to 5 minutes for HC-7776S and 10 minutes for G2-7779S. |
| 13 | The quote targets a clearcoat film thickness of 2.3 mil; the published range is 1.8 to 2.2 mil. |
| 14 | The quote force dries the clearcoat for 15 minutes; the published cycle at 140 degrees F is 30 minutes for this clearcoat. |
| 15 | ChromaBase basecoat is applied in 2 to 3 medium coats until hiding; the quote has 1 coat. |
| 16 | The quote flashes 12 minutes between basecoat coats; the published flash is 5 to 10 minutes. |
| 17 | The quote targets a basecoat film thickness of 2.5 mil; the published range is 0.5 to 2.0 mil. |
| 18 | The quote clearcoats 10 minutes after the basecoat; the published air-dry time to clearcoat is 15 to 30 minutes. |
| 19 | The quote adds 3 quarter-ounces of Fish Eye Eliminator per quart of mixed clearcoat; the published amount is 1/4 to 1/2 oz. |
| 20 | The quote adds 3 oz of flex additive per quart of mixed clearcoat; the published amount is 2 oz. |
| 21 | The appearance enhancer is listed for the G2-7779S clearcoat only; the quote adds it to HC-7776S. |
| 22 | The pot lives are published at 70 degrees F and the shop temperature is 60 degrees F; a person should confirm the pot life for this job. |
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.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 HC-7776S Snap Dry Clearcoat, mixing 32 oz of clearcoat with 4 oz of 7785S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 16 oz of basecoat with 16 oz of 7185S reducer and applied in 2 coats, with the 222S mid-coat adhesion promoter. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 4 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 30 minutes after mixing. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 40 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 HC-7776S Snap Dry Clearcoat, mixing 32 oz of clearcoat with 8 oz of 7785S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 16 oz of basecoat with 16 oz of 7185S reducer and applied in 2 coats, with the 222S mid-coat adhesion promoter in a blend area. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 4 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 30 minutes after mixing. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 40 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 G2-7779S Panel and Overall Clearcoat, mixing 48 oz of clearcoat with 12 oz of 7775S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 24 oz of basecoat with 24 oz of 7175S reducer and applied in 4 coats. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 10 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 150 minutes after mixing. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 60 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 G2-7779S Panel and Overall Clearcoat, mixing 48 oz of clearcoat with 10 oz of 7775S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 24 oz of basecoat with 24 oz of 7175S reducer and applied in 3 coats. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 10 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 90 minutes after mixing. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 58 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 G2-7779S Panel and Overall Clearcoat, mixing 48 oz of clearcoat with 12 oz of 7775S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 24 oz of basecoat with 24 oz of 7175S reducer and applied in 3 coats. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 10 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 90 minutes after mixing. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 60 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 G2-7779S Panel and Overall Clearcoat, mixing 24 oz of clearcoat with 6 oz of 7795S hardener, over Cromax Pro waterborne basecoat. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 10 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 30 minutes after mixing, with 2 oz of appearance enhancer and 3 oz of flex additive per quart. The shop is at 55 degrees F. The order states 30 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Blocked.
The agent's request. Please prepare a refinish order with the Cromax ChromaBase 4 to 1 G2-7779S Panel and Overall Clearcoat, mixing 24 oz of clearcoat with 6 oz of 7795S hardener, over ChromaBase basecoat mixed as 12 oz of basecoat with 12 oz of 7175S reducer and applied in 2 coats. The clearcoat goes on in 2 coats with 10 minutes of flash between coats and is sprayed 30 minutes after mixing, with 1 oz of appearance enhancer and 2 oz of flex additive per quart. The shop is at 70 degrees F. The order states 30 oz of mixed clearcoat. It is ready to send.
Verdict: Allowed.
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