Predictika · Composite materials

An AI sales agent's honeycomb core order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb core: the cell size, density and wall thickness designation, the panel size and cut thickness, and the compressive and plate shear strength the customer needs. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the public Hexcel product data sheet and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: HexWeb HRH-36 para-aramid/phenolic honeycomb: the seven listed designations, block sizes, cut thickness, listed strengths and thickness tolerance. See everything this validator covers

This validator models an order for HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb core, based on the public Hexcel HexWeb HRH-36 product data sheet, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Designations — the seven designations with listed properties: 1/8 inch cells at 3.0 (1.4 and 1.8 mil), 4.5 (1.8 and 2.8 mil) and 6.0 (1.8 and 2.8 mil) pounds per cubic foot, and 3/16 inch overexpanded (OX) cells at 3.0 (1.4 mil).
  • Block size and thickness — standard blocks of 48 inches by 96 inches (36 inches by 96 inches for the OX material), cut thicknesses from 0.125 to 32 inches, and the thickness tolerance the data sheet gives up to 24 inches.
  • Strength — compressive strength (bare or stabilized) and plate shear strength in the L and W directions against the listed values. The listed values are based on testing at 0.500 inch thickness, so a requirement at another thickness goes to a person.

Any HRH-36 order that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (Hexcel publishes none, so this page shows no price build-up or line-item quote), other HexWeb cores such as HRH-10, other cell sizes and densities available on special request, alternate resin systems and moduli. The strengths are the data sheet's typical values (proposed minimum average specification values), not a guarantee.

The AI sales agentBuilds the honeycomb core 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.

6 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
Strength depends on the cell size, density and wall thicknessOnly with care
Each designation has its own listed strengths, so every combination needs its own limits, and bare and stabilized compressive strength differ.
The designation and condition are looked up and the required strengths compared on every call.
Different block size for the OX materialOnly with care
One designation has a shorter standard block (36 inches instead of 48), which is a conditional limit on panel length.
The panel size is checked against the block size of the chosen designation.
Thickness tolerance that changes by thickness bandOnly with workarounds
The tolerance steps up across five thickness bands and a stated tolerance has to be compared with the band for the cut thickness.
The band is worked out from the thickness and compared with the tolerance stated in the order.
Values valid only at the tested thicknessOnly with workarounds
A caveat that applies to every strength figure at any thickness other than 0.500 inch is usually left to a note.
A strength requirement at another thickness is routed to a person automatically.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the order 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.

1The panel is 48 inches in the ribbon direction; the standard block for this material is 36 inches.
2The application needs a compressive strength of 700 psi; this designation is listed at 650 psi.
3The application needs a plate shear strength of 400 psi in the L direction; this designation is listed at 330 psi.
4The application needs a plate shear strength of 250 psi in the W direction; this designation is listed at 210 psi.
5The panel is 100 inches in the long direction; the standard block is 96 inches.
6The panel is 52 inches in the ribbon direction; the standard block for this material is 48 inches.
7The cut thickness is 0.1 inches; the data sheet lists standard thicknesses from 0.125 to 32 inches.
8The data sheet strengths are based on testing at 0.500 inch thickness; a person should confirm them for a thickness of 0.1 inches.
9The cut thickness is 33 inches; the data sheet lists standard thicknesses from 0.125 to 32 inches.
10The data sheet strengths are based on testing at 0.500 inch thickness; a person should confirm them for a thickness of 33 inches.
11The quote states a thickness tolerance of plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch; the data sheet gives 10 for this thickness.
12The data sheet lists thickness tolerances only up to 24 inches; a person should confirm the tolerance for this thickness with Hexcel.
13The data sheet strengths are based on testing at 0.500 inch thickness; a person should confirm them for a thickness of 1 inches.
14The panel is 60 inches in the ribbon direction; the standard block for this material is 48 inches.
15The panel is 110 inches in the long direction; the standard block is 96 inches.
16The application needs a compressive strength of 500 psi; this designation is listed at 315 psi.
17The application needs a plate shear strength of 400 psi in the L direction; this designation is listed at 270 psi.
18The application needs a plate shear strength of 300 psi in the W direction; this designation is listed at 165 psi.

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. Strength above the listed value: Lightest 1/8 inch core for a 300 psi compressive load

The agent's request. Please quote 30 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 3.0 lb/ft3, 1.4 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 0.5 inches thick. The application needs a bare compressive strength of 300 psi, 200 psi plate shear in the L direction and 110 psi plate shear in the W direction. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Compressive strength too low. The application needs a compressive strength of 300 psi; this designation is listed at 275 psi.

2. Strength above the listed value: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote 30 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 4.5 lb/ft3, 1.8 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 0.5 inches thick. The application needs a bare compressive strength of 300 psi, 200 psi plate shear in the L direction and 110 psi plate shear in the W direction. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Allowed.

  • Order summary. 30 panels of 48 by 96 by 0.5 inches; listed strengths 650 psi compressive, 330 psi L shear and 210 psi W shear.

3. Panel longer than the block: 3/16 inch OX core cut to 48 inches

The agent's request. Please quote 20 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 3/16 inch OX cells, 3.0 lb/ft3, 1.4 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 0.5 inches thick. The application needs a bare compressive strength of 250 psi, 120 psi plate shear in the L direction and 150 psi plate shear in the W direction. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Panel longer than the standard block. The panel is 48 inches in the ribbon direction; the standard block for this material is 36 inches.

4. Panel longer than the block: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote 20 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 4.5 lb/ft3, 1.8 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 0.5 inches thick. The application needs a bare compressive strength of 250 psi, 120 psi plate shear in the L direction and 150 psi plate shear in the W direction. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Allowed.

  • Order summary. 20 panels of 48 by 96 by 0.5 inches; listed strengths 650 psi compressive, 330 psi L shear and 210 psi W shear.

5. Stated tolerance: 3 inch thick core with a stated tolerance of 6 thousandths

The agent's request. Please quote 12 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 4.5 lb/ft3, 2.8 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 3 inches thick. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Blocked.

  • Stated thickness tolerance does not match. The quote states a thickness tolerance of plus or minus 6 thousandths of an inch; the data sheet gives 10 for this thickness.

6. Stated tolerance: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

The agent's request. Please quote 12 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 4.5 lb/ft3, 2.8 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 3 inches thick. The thickness tolerance is stated as plus or minus 10 thousandths of an inch. It is ready to send.

Verdict: Allowed.

  • Order summary. 12 panels of 48 by 96 by 3 inches; listed strengths 530 psi compressive, 430 psi L shear and 220 psi W shear.

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 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb core: the cell size, density and wall thickness designation, the panel size and cut thickness, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the public Hexcel product data sheet and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
  3. The agent says. Please quote 30 HexWeb HRH-36 honeycomb panels with 1/8 inch cells, 3.0 lb/ft3, 1.4 mil wall, cut to 48 by 96 inches and 0.5 inches thick. The application needs a bare compressive strength of 300 psi, 200 psi plate shear in the L direction and 110 psi plate shear in the W direction. The rest of the request is on screen.
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
  5. Blocked, with one finding, all in one answer. The application needs a compressive strength of 300 psi; this designation is listed at 275 psi.
  6. The validator returned one blocking finding 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 strength depends on the cell size, density and wall thickness, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
  9. The corrected request. It changes the designation to 1/8 inch cells, 4.5 lb/ft3, 1.8 mil wall.
  10. It calls the validator again.
  11. This time the validator clears it.
  12. The earlier finding is cleared.
  13. One problem 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.