Predictika · On-demand manufacturing quotes

An AI sales agent's custom-parts quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for custom parts on an on-demand manufacturing platform like Fictiv: CNC-machined parts, sheet metal parts or 3D printed parts, with the material, finish, size, tolerance, lead time and quantity. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of what Fictiv's public capability pages document and returns a verdict, every reason and the total it computed.

Scope: Fictiv CNC milling and turning, sheet metal and 3D printing (SLS, MJF, SLA, FDM, PolyJet, Carbon DLS): materials, finishes, part size, tolerances, lead times and quantity breaks for one part design per quote. See everything this validator covers

This validator models a quote for one custom part design, in any quantity, made by the Fictiv processes below, based on the public Fictiv capability pages for CNC machining, sheet metal and 3D printing. It handles any quote for these processes, not just the scenarios shown. Where a rule is a published Fictiv figure it says so; prices, fees and thresholds that Fictiv does not publish are invented for illustration and labeled that way.

  • CNC milling and turning — 12 materials: aluminum 6061 and 7075, stainless steel 304 and 316, steel 4140, titanium grade 5, brass, copper, magnesium, Delrin, nylon and PEEK; part length up to 48 inches (1,219 mm); standard tolerance ISO 2768 Medium without a drawing, and with a drawing ±0.01 mm for metals and PEEK or ±0.05 mm for Delrin and nylon.
  • Sheet metal — 7 materials: aluminum 5052-H32, 6061 and 7075, stainless steel 304 and 316, steel 1008 and brass; cutting tolerance as low as ±0.005 inch (127 microns).
  • 3D printing — SLS (nylon 12, TPU 88A), MJF (PA 12 glass beads, polypropylene), SLA (Accura 25), FDM (ABS, Ultem 1010, PETG), PolyJet (Vero) and Carbon DLS (RPU 70), each with its published maximum build size; parts as fast as 24 hours.
  • Finishes and lead times — the finishes Fictiv lists for each material (for example anodizing for aluminum, passivation for stainless steel and titanium, black oxide and zinc plating for steel, hand polishing for copper) and the fastest lead time Fictiv lists for each material, from 1 day to 10 days.
  • Design check — Fictiv's automated design for manufacturability check: a Warning can still be ordered, a Failure needs a revised design before checkout.
  • Invented for illustration (not published by Fictiv) — every price; the quantity breaks at 10, 25, 100 and 500 parts; setup and rush fees; two extra days for anodized, plated, passivated and coated finishes; a CMM inspection report for tolerances under 25 microns; engineer approval above 600 mm and sales approval from 500 parts; standard tolerance and as-printed finish only for 3D printed parts; machined plastics quoted as made.

Any quote for these processes that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: injection molding, urethane casting, die casting, compression molding, EDM and gear hobbing, other materials such as Invar, Kovar or Torlon, more than one finish on a part, assemblies, tariffs, freight, taxes and custom requests for quote. The customers are fictional.

The AI sales agentBuilds the parts 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.

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
Materials that depend on the processOnly with workarounds
Nine processes and 24 materials: milling takes 12, sheet metal 7, and each 3D printing technology its own one to three. That is a process-by-material matrix, not one pick list.		Process and material are checked together on every call.
Finishes that depend on the materialOnly with workarounds
Anodizing is listed for aluminum only, black oxide and zinc plating for steel and stainless steel, passivation for stainless steel and titanium, hand polishing for copper, and machined plastics have none. The finish list changes with a field chosen earlier.		The finish is checked against the material chosen.
Maximum part size that differs for every 3D printing materialOnly with workarounds
ABS and Ultem 1010 print up to 914 by 914 by 609 mm, PETG only 400 by 300 by 300, nylon 12 700 by 580 by 380, Carbon DLS 326 by 189 by 118. Three limits per material, compared with three dimensions of the part.		Each side of the part is compared with the build size of the material chosen.
Lead time that depends on material and finishOnly with workarounds
The fastest lead time runs from 1 day to 10 days by material, and a coated or plated finish adds days. A requested lead time is compared with a figure built from two fields.		The fastest possible lead time is computed from material and finish and compared with the request.
Tolerance that depends on process, material, drawing and inspectionOnly with workarounds
A tolerance tighter than ISO 2768 Medium needs a drawing, metals hold 10 microns and Delrin or nylon 50, sheet metal 127, and under 25 microns a CMM report is needed. Four fields decide one limit.		Tolerance, process, material, drawing and inspection are checked together.
A design check that warns or failsOnly with care
A Failure must stop the order and a Warning must let it through for a person to look at. A status field and two rules can do it, but only if someone writes both.		A Failure blocks; a Warning is held for a person with the reason listed.
A stated total that has to agree with the quoteOnly with workarounds
The total the agent typed can leave out the setup fee, the rush fee or the quantity break and nobody notices, because the quoting tool never receives it.		The total is computed from the choices and compared with the total the quote states.
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.

    
1That material is not offered with the selected process; CNC machining, sheet metal and each 3D printing technology have their own material lists on the Fictiv capability pages.
2That finish is not listed for the selected material; for example anodizing is listed for aluminum only, black oxide and zinc plating for steel and stainless steel, and this quote offers machined plastics and 3D printed parts as made.
3The part dimensions are listed as 60 by 100 by 30 mm; they must run from the longest side to the shortest.
4The shortest side of the part is 0 mm; every side needs at least 1 mm.
5The longest side is 601 mm, over 600 mm for a machined part; a manufacturing engineer confirms machine and fixturing fit.
6A part of 1,220 by 500 by 200 mm does not fit the 1,219 by 1,219 by 1,219 mm that the selected process and material accept; larger parts go through a custom request for quote.
7A lead time of 2 days is faster than the 3 days that the selected material and finish allow; a sales representative can be asked about faster delivery.
8The quote asks for a tolerance of 9 microns; the tightest this process and material hold is 10 microns.
9A tolerance of 10 microns needs a CMM inspection report, and the quote has standard inspection.
10The quote asks for a tolerance of 25 microns, tighter than the standard ISO 2768 Medium, and a tolerance tighter than standard needs a 2D drawing.
11The quote asks for a tolerance of 100 microns on a 3D printed part; this quote prices 3D printed parts at standard tolerance only.
12The automated design for manufacturability check returned a warning; an engineer reviews the flagged feature before the order goes ahead.
13The automated design for manufacturability check returned a failure; a revised design has to be uploaded before the part can be ordered.
14The quote has 0 parts; at least one is needed.
15An order of 500 parts is a production quantity; a sales manager confirms capacity and pricing before the quote is sent.
16The quote states a total of $595.79, but the part prices, quantity break and fees give $595.80.

  

  

    
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. Robotics startup: Forty machined aluminum gimbal housings

    
The agent's request. Please quote 40 CNC-milled parts in aluminum 6061, each 180 by 120 by 60 mm, finished with zinc plating. They are needed in 12 days, to a tolerance of 20 microns. The design passes the automated design check. The quote states a total of $3,749.60. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Finish not offered for this material. That finish is not listed for the selected material; for example anodizing is listed for aluminum only, black oxide and zinc plating for steel and stainless steel, and this quote offers machined plastics and 3D printed parts as made.
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  • Tight tolerance needs a 2D drawing. The quote asks for a tolerance of 20 microns, tighter than the standard ISO 2768 Medium, and a tolerance tighter than standard needs a 2D drawing.
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  • Tolerance under 25 microns needs a CMM report. A tolerance of 20 microns needs a CMM inspection report, and the quote has standard inspection.
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  • Stated total differs from the computed total. The quote states a total of $3,749.60, but the part prices, quantity break and fees give $3,809.60.
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2. Robotics startup: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 40 CNC-milled parts in aluminum 6061, each 180 by 120 by 60 mm, finished with Type II anodizing. They are needed in 12 days, to a tolerance of 20 microns with the 2D drawing attached. Add a CMM inspection report. The design passes the automated design check. The quote states a total of $4,007.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 40 parts at $113 each before the quantity break, list price $4,520.00, quantity break $632.80, fees $120.00, total $4,007.20.
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3. Medical device startup: One hundred twenty titanium test fixtures

    
The agent's request. Please quote 120 CNC-milled parts in titanium grade 5, each 150 by 90 by 40 mm, finished with Type II anodizing. They are needed in 6 days. The automated design check shows a warning. The quote states a total of $18,391.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Finish not offered for this material. That finish is not listed for the selected material; for example anodizing is listed for aluminum only, black oxide and zinc plating for steel and stainless steel, and this quote offers machined plastics and 3D printed parts as made.
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  • Lead time faster than the material and finish allow. A lead time of 6 days is faster than the 9 days that the selected material and finish allow; a sales representative can be asked about faster delivery.
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  • Stated total differs from the computed total. The quote states a total of $18,391.20, but the part prices, quantity break and fees give $18,541.20.
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  • Manufacturability check returned a warning. The automated design for manufacturability check returned a warning; an engineer reviews the flagged feature before the order goes ahead.
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4. Medical device startup: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 120 CNC-milled parts in titanium grade 5, each 150 by 90 by 40 mm, finished with passivation. They are needed in 10 days. The automated design check shows a warning. The quote states a total of $18,085.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Manufacturability check returned a warning. The automated design for manufacturability check returned a warning; an engineer reviews the flagged feature before the order goes ahead.
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  • Order summary. 120 parts at $196 each before the quantity break, list price $23,520.00, quantity break $5,644.80, fees $210.00, total $18,085.20.
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5. Medical device startup: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 120 CNC-milled parts in titanium grade 5, each 150 by 90 by 40 mm, finished with passivation. They are needed in 10 days. The design passes the automated design check. The quote states a total of $18,085.20. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 120 parts at $196 each before the quantity break, list price $23,520.00, quantity break $5,644.80, fees $210.00, total $18,085.20.
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6. Drone maker: Two hundred 3D printed drone housings

    
The agent's request. Please quote 200 MJF 3D printed parts in PA 12 glass beads, each 420 by 300 by 150 mm. They are needed in 5 days. The design passes the automated design check. The quote states a total of $12,200.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Part larger than the process and material allow. A part of 420 by 300 by 150 mm does not fit the 380 by 380 by 284 mm that the selected process and material accept; larger parts go through a custom request for quote.
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  • Stated total differs from the computed total. The quote states a total of $12,200.00, but the part prices, quantity break and fees give $9,272.00.
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7. Drone maker: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 200 SLS 3D printed parts in nylon 12, each 420 by 300 by 150 mm. They are needed in 5 days. The design passes the automated design check. The quote states a total of $8,968.00. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 200 parts at $59 each before the quantity break, list price $11,800.00, quantity break $2,832.00, total $8,968.00.
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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 custom parts on an on-demand manufacturing platform like Fictiv: CNC-machined parts, sheet metal parts or 3D printed parts. Before the quote goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of what Fictiv's public capability pages document and returns a verdict, every reason and the total it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote 40 CNC-milled parts in aluminum 6061, each 180 by 120 by 60 mm, finished with zinc plating. They are needed in 12 days, to a tolerance of 20 microns. The rest of the request is on screen. The quote states a total of $3,749.60.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with four findings, all in one answer. That finish is not listed for the selected material; for example anodizing is listed for aluminum only, black oxide and zinc plating for steel and stainless steel, and this quote offers machined plastics and 3D printed parts as made. The quote asks for a tolerance of 20 microns, tighter than the standard ISO 2768 Medium, and a tolerance tighter than standard needs a 2D drawing. A tolerance of 20 microns needs a CMM inspection report, and the quote has standard inspection. The other one is on screen.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned four 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 tolerance that depends on process, material, drawing and inspection, 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 finish to Type II anodizing, the 2D drawing to attached, the inspection to CMM report and the stated total to $4,007.20.
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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. The validator also returns the line-item quote. It starts with CNC milling part in aluminum 6061 and Size charge; the other four lines are on screen.
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  13. All four earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's total, $4,007.20, matches the quote.
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  14. Four problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and a clean $4,007.20 quote. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    15.