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 public product family, 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 published rules and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: VTUG valve terminals (sizes 10, 14 and 18): valve positions, supply plates and pressure zones, electrical interface, pilot air and operating pressure, vacuum limits. See everything this validator covers

This validator models VTUG valve terminal configurations from Festo's public documentation, not just the scenarios shown below.

Capacity — up to 24 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 I-Port interface with interlock is for size 10 valves only, and it supplies only the first 16 solenoid coils individually from outside, so a larger coil count goes to a person to confirm.
Pilot air and pressure — internal pilot air covers up to 8 bar and external pilot air up to 10 bar and down to −0.9 bar (vacuum); 2x 3/2-way valves with mechanical spring need at least 2 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 VTUG configuration that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (the documents read list none, so 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 because the documents read give differing ranges.

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.

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

Proposing agent: AI sales agent (scripted)

Before sending, the agent must call Recorded run

Predictika validator

Waiting for the call.

What this means

Run the validator to see the outcome

The explanation appears here once the validator returns.

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 caught	Typical rules-based CPQ	Predictika
Valve positions that include the supply plates, against a limit of 24	Only 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 zone	Only 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 person	Only 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 function	Only 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 quoted	Only 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 answer	Only 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.

1	The terminal needs 25 valve positions, including supply plates; a VTUG manifold rail has up to 24.
2	The terminal has 0 supply plates for 1 pressure zone; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
3	The terminal has no valves; at least one valve is needed.
4	The terminal has 1 supply plate for 2 pressure zones; each pressure zone needs at least one supply plate.
5	The I-Port interface with interlock is available for size 10 valves only.
6	With the interlock interface only the first 16 solenoid coils can be supplied individually from outside, and the valves have 24 coils in total; a person should confirm this is acceptable.
7	The lowest operating pressure is 1.0 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.5 bar.
8	The lowest operating pressure is 1.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 2.0 bar.
9	The highest operating pressure is 9.0 bar; with this pilot air supply the maximum is 8.0 bar.
10	The highest operating pressure is 10.5 bar; with this pilot air supply the maximum is 10.0 bar.
11	The lowest operating pressure is -1.0 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is -0.9 bar.
12	The lowest operating pressure is -0.5 bar; with this pilot air supply and these valves the minimum is 1.5 bar.
13	Vacuum at port 1 is not possible on 3/2-way valves with pneumatic spring; vacuum is possible at ports 3 and 5 only.
14	Vacuum operation is not possible when the shut-off function is used.
15	The request states 16 valve positions; the valves and supply plates need 18.
16	The request states 30 solenoid coils; the valves have 24.