Predictika · O-ring orders

An AI sales agent's O-ring order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for O-rings: a material, a size series, the fluid, the temperature range and pressure of the application, static or dynamic duty, and a quantity. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of how materials, fluids and conditions fit together and returns a verdict, every reason and the total it computed.

Scope: Hercules O-rings in Buna-N, fluorocarbon, EPDM, silicone and perfluoroelastomer, in the AS568 size series: fluid compatibility, temperature, pressure, duty, size availability, quantity and stated total. See everything this validator covers

This validator models O-ring orders, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Material and fluid — five materials against eight fluids in a modeled compatibility chart.
  • Temperature — the lowest and highest temperature of the application against the range each material is modeled for, with a lower ceiling for EPDM in steam.
  • Pressure and duty — a pressure limit for static and for dynamic duty, backup rings above a lower pressure, and silicone for static duty only.
  • Size series — the 4xx sizes in Buna-N, fluorocarbon and EPDM only.
  • Quantity and total — large quantities and made-to-order perfluoroelastomer quantities go to a person, and the total the order states is compared with the computed total.

Any O-ring order that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: other seal types, kits, custom compounds and shipping. The compatibility chart, temperature and pressure limits, size availability, thresholds and all prices are modeled from comparable O-ring suppliers, not published by Hercules, and prices are illustrative.

The AI sales agentBuilds the O-ring order 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
A material that must suit the fluidOnly with care
A compatibility chart has to be turned into a rule per material, and every new material or fluid adds rows to it.
The material and the fluid are in one request and are checked together on every call.
A temperature range inside the material ratingOnly with care
Each material has its own low and high rating, so a lookup per material and a rule for each end of the range are needed.
The application range and the material are fields of the request and are compared in the same pass.
Limits that depend on the dutyOnly with care
The pressure limit is different for static and dynamic duty, and silicone is excluded from dynamic duty, so each rule has to branch on the duty.
The duty is a field of the request and every rule reads it in the same pass.
A stated total that must match the computed totalOnly with workarounds
The total depends on the size series, the material and a volume break, so a separate rule is needed to recompute it and compare it with the stated figure.
The stated total is a field of the request and is compared with the computed total on every call.
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 rings; at least 1 is needed.
2The selected elastomer is not compatible with this fluid in the modeled compatibility chart.
3The application goes down to -31 degrees Celsius; this material is rated down to -30.
4The application goes up to 101 degrees Celsius; this material is rated up to 100.
5Silicone O-rings are offered for static duty only because of their low tear and wear resistance.
6The 4xx dash sizes are modeled in Buna-N, Fluorocarbon and EPDM only.
7A working pressure of 5,000 psi is above 1,500 psi; an engineer should confirm backup rings and groove design.
8The working pressure of 5,001 psi is above the 5,000 psi limit for this duty.
9An order of 50,001 rings is above 50,000; a special price and lead time are agreed by a person.
10Perfluoroelastomer rings above 100 pieces are made to order; a person should confirm the lead time for 101 rings.
11The order states a total of 6,900 cents; the modeled price list gives 7,000 cents.

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. Material, fluid and temperature: Buna-N rings for brake fluid over a wide temperature range

The agent's request. Please quote Buna-N rings in AS568 2xx sizes for brake fluid, dynamic duty, from -40 to 130 degrees Celsius at 2,000 psi, 2,500 rings, for a total of 47,500 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Material not compatible with the fluid. The selected elastomer is not compatible with this fluid in the modeled compatibility chart.
  • Minimum temperature below the material limit. The application goes down to -40 degrees Celsius; this material is rated down to -30.
  • Maximum temperature above the material limit. The application goes up to 130 degrees Celsius; this material is rated up to 100.
  • High pressure needs backup rings. A working pressure of 2,000 psi is above 1,500 psi; an engineer should confirm backup rings and groove design.

2. Material, fluid and temperature: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote EPDM rings in AS568 2xx sizes for brake fluid, dynamic duty, from -40 to 110 degrees Celsius at 2,000 psi, 2,500 rings, for a total of 52,500 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Needs approval.

  • High pressure needs backup rings. A working pressure of 2,000 psi is above 1,500 psi; an engineer should confirm backup rings and groove design.
  • Order summary. 2,500 rings at 21 cents each (list 24 cents), total 52,500 cents.

3. Temperature and pressure: Fluorocarbon fuel rings for dynamic duty at high pressure

The agent's request. Please quote fluorocarbon rings in AS568 3xx sizes for fuel, dynamic duty, from -25 to 220 degrees Celsius at 3,500 psi, 8,000 rings, for a total of 384,000 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Minimum temperature below the material limit. The application goes down to -25 degrees Celsius; this material is rated down to -20.
  • Maximum temperature above the material limit. The application goes up to 220 degrees Celsius; this material is rated up to 200.
  • Pressure above the duty limit. The working pressure of 3,500 psi is above the 3,000 psi limit for this duty.

4. Temperature and pressure: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote fluorocarbon rings in AS568 3xx sizes for fuel, dynamic duty, from -20 to 200 degrees Celsius at 2,800 psi, 8,000 rings, for a total of 384,000 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Needs approval.

  • High pressure needs backup rings. A working pressure of 2,800 psi is above 1,500 psi; an engineer should confirm backup rings and groove design.
  • Order summary. 8,000 rings at 48 cents each (list 53 cents), total 384,000 cents.

5. Stated total and made-to-order quantity: Perfluoroelastomer rings for ketone

The agent's request. Please quote perfluoroelastomer rings in AS568 1xx sizes for ketone, static duty, from -10 to 250 degrees Celsius at 800 psi, 150 rings, for a total of 70,000 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Stated total does not match. The order states a total of 70,000 cents; the modeled price list gives 92,100 cents.
  • Perfluoroelastomer quantity. Perfluoroelastomer rings above 100 pieces are made to order; a person should confirm the lead time for 150 rings.

6. Stated total and made-to-order quantity: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote perfluoroelastomer rings in AS568 1xx sizes for ketone, static duty, from -10 to 250 degrees Celsius at 800 psi, 150 rings, for a total of 92,100 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Needs approval.

  • Perfluoroelastomer quantity. Perfluoroelastomer rings above 100 pieces are made to order; a person should confirm the lead time for 150 rings.
  • Order summary. 150 rings at 614 cents each (list 614 cents), total 92,100 cents.

7. Stated total and made-to-order quantity: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote perfluoroelastomer rings in AS568 1xx sizes for ketone, static duty, from -10 to 250 degrees Celsius at 800 psi, 100 rings, for a total of 61,400 cents. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Allowed.

  • Order summary. 100 rings at 614 cents each (list 614 cents), total 61,400 cents.

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 O-rings: a material, a size series, the fluid, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of how materials, fluids and conditions fit together and returns a verdict, every reason and the total it computed.
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
  3. The agent says. Please quote Buna-N rings in AS568 2xx sizes for brake fluid, dynamic duty, from -40 to 130 degrees Celsius at 2,000 psi, 2,500 rings, for a total of 47,500 cents. It is ready to send.
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
  5. Blocked, with three findings and one approval, all in one answer. The selected elastomer is not compatible with this fluid in the modeled compatibility chart. The application goes down to -40 degrees Celsius; this material is rated down to -30. The application goes up to 130 degrees Celsius; this material is rated up to 100.
  6. The validator returned three blocking findings and one approval 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.
  7. What this shows: for a material that must suit the fluid, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
  9. The corrected request. It changes the material to EPDM, the highest temperature to 110 C and the total stated on the order to 52,500 cents.
  10. It calls the validator again.
  11. Not blocked, but held for a person.
  12. The three blocking findings are cleared; one approval remains for a person: high pressure needs backup rings.
  13. Four problems caught in one call, fixed in one pass, and the corrected quote now goes to a person for approval. That is the value of Predictika's validator: catching mistakes before they reach the customer. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.