Predictika · Intrinsically safe barrier panel quotes

An AI sales agent's K-System barrier panel quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for a panel of K-System isolated barriers: a KFD2 device type, the number of field loops and devices, the required SIL, the supply voltage, the output mode, the loop load or loop supply, the control-side zone, the power feed (Power Rail with KFD2-EB2 feed modules, or device terminals), a collective fault signal, the rails and a discount. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the barrier line and returns a verdict, every reason and an illustrative total.

Scope: K-System KFD2 isolated barriers (transmitter power supplies, a switch amplifier, a solenoid driver and a temperature converter) on a DIN rail with the KFD2-EB2 Power Rail feed, with SIL, supply, output mode, load, zone, feed, rail length and discount. See everything this validator covers

This validator models K-System barrier panel quotes, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Device, channels and SIL — the channels per device against the field loops, the SIL each device is rated for, the supply voltage range of each device, the output modes it offers and whether it supports HART.
  • Loop and zone limits — the loop load limit of the Ex1.H, the external loop supply range of the sink-output Y1, and a control side that belongs in a safe area or Zone 2.
  • Power Rail, rail length and discount — the feed modules the Power Rail needs for the number of devices, feed modules that make no sense on terminal feed, the collective fault signal that needs the Power Rail, the rail length for the devices and feed modules, and the discount limit and approvals.

Any K-System barrier panel quote that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: other Pepperl+Fuchs product lines, field devices, enclosures and engineering services. Device names, channel counts, supply ranges, SIL ratings, output modes, HART support and the Power Rail feed rules follow public datasheets; the other limits, the approval rules and every price are modeled and illustrative (see the note at the foot of the page).

The AI sales agentBuilds the barrier panel quote 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
Limits that depend on the deviceOnly with care
The supply range, the output modes, HART support, the load limit and the loop supply range differ by device type, so every rule is keyed to the device and another field at once.		The device and every option are fields of one quote and are checked together on every call.
Channels against loopsOnly with workarounds
The channels per device times the number of devices must cover the field loops, and the channels change with the device, which means multiplying and comparing two fields.		Channels and loops are computed and compared on every call.
Feed modules and rail lengthOnly with workarounds
The Power Rail needs one feed module per group of devices, and the devices plus the feed modules must fit the rail length, so a rule has to count, divide and compare against the rails quoted.		The feed modules and the rail length are computed from the quote and compared on every call.
Options that exclude each otherOnly with care
Feed modules make no sense on terminal feed and the collective fault signal needs the Power Rail, so each option needs a rule that looks at the feed choice.		Every option is a field of the same quote, so each dependency is checked on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the quote 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.

    
110 devices of 2 channel(s) each cannot serve 24 field loops.
2The loops need SIL 3 and the selected device is rated SIL 2.
3SIL 3 loops need a functional safety engineer to review the safety manual and proof-test plan.
4A supply of 18 V DC is outside the 20 to 35 V DC range of the selected device.
5A supply of 32 V DC is outside the 19 to 30 V DC range of the selected device.
6The selected output mode is not available on the selected device.
7HART communication is required but the selected device is not a transmitter power supply.
8A loop load of 900 ohm is above the 800 ohm limit at 20 mA.
9An external loop supply of 8 V DC is outside the 11 to 30 V DC range of the sink output.
10The control side of these devices belongs in a safe area or Zone 2, not Zone 1.
11The Power Rail needs 3 KFD2-EB2 power feed module(s) for 81 devices; the quote has 1.
121 KFD2-EB2 feed module(s) are quoted but the devices are fed through their terminals.
13The collective fault signal is only available when the devices sit on the Power Rail.
14The devices and feed modules need 21,875 tenths of a millimetre of rail and the quoted rails give 20,000.
15A discount of 12 percent needs sales manager approval.
16A discount of 25 percent is above the 20 percent limit.
17An order of 200 devices needs a sales manager review.
18The quote has 0 devices; at least one is needed.
19A supply of 40 V DC is outside the 20 to 35 V DC range of the selected device.

  

  

    
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. Ex1.H barriers, channels, supply, output and zone: A quote for 24 KFD2-STC4-Ex1.H devices for 30 field loops, with an 18 V supply, a Sink output, the control side in Zone 1 and a 900 ohm loop load

    
The agent's request. Please quote 24 KFD2-STC4-Ex1.H devices for 30 field loops, a required SIL of 2, an 18 V DC supply and a Sink output, with the control side in Zone 1, a loop load of 900 ohm, fed through the Power Rail with 1 KFD2-EB2 feed module, on 1 rail. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Not enough channels for the loops. 24 devices of 1 channel(s) each cannot serve 30 field loops.
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  • Supply voltage outside the device range. A supply of 18 V DC is outside the 20 to 35 V DC range of the selected device.
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  • Output mode not available on the device. The selected output mode is not available on the selected device.
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  • Loop load above 800 ohm on Ex1.H. A loop load of 900 ohm is above the 800 ohm limit at 20 mA.
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  • Control side in Zone 1. The control side of these devices belongs in a safe area or Zone 2, not Zone 1.
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2. Ex1.H barriers, channels, supply, output and zone: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 30 KFD2-STC4-Ex1.H devices for 30 field loops, a required SIL of 2, a 24 V DC supply and a Source output, with the control side in Zone 2, a loop load of 600 ohm, fed through the Power Rail with 1 KFD2-EB2 feed module, on 1 rail. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 30 device(s) for 30 loop(s), 1 feed module(s); illustrative total 6,655 USD after discount.
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3. Y1 barriers, terminal feed and fault signal: A quote for 12 sink-output Y1 devices with a Source output, an 8 V loop supply, a 36 V supply, terminal feed with two feed modules and a collective fault signal

    
The agent's request. Please quote 12 KFD2-STC4-Ex1-Y1 devices for 12 field loops, a required SIL of 2, a 36 V DC supply and a Source output, with the control side in a safe area, an external loop supply of 8 V DC, fed through the device terminals with 2 KFD2-EB2 feed modules, with the collective fault signal, on 1 rail. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Supply voltage outside the device range. A supply of 36 V DC is outside the 20 to 35 V DC range of the selected device.
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  • Output mode not available on the device. The selected output mode is not available on the selected device.
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  • Loop supply outside 11 to 30 V on the sink device. An external loop supply of 8 V DC is outside the 11 to 30 V DC range of the sink output.
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  • Feed modules quoted without Power Rail. 2 KFD2-EB2 feed module(s) are quoted but the devices are fed through their terminals.
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  • Collective fault signal needs the Power Rail. The collective fault signal is only available when the devices sit on the Power Rail.
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4. Y1 barriers, terminal feed and fault signal: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 12 KFD2-STC4-Ex1-Y1 devices for 12 field loops, a required SIL of 2, a 24 V DC supply and a Sink output, with the control side in a safe area, an external loop supply of 24 V DC, fed through the Power Rail with 1 KFD2-EB2 feed module, with the collective fault signal, on 1 rail. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 12 device(s) for 12 loop(s), 1 feed module(s); illustrative total 3,025 USD after discount.
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5. Large Ex2 panel, feed modules, rail length and discount: A quote for 160 KFD2-STC4-Ex2 devices on one rail with two feed modules and a 25 percent discount

    
The agent's request. Please quote 160 KFD2-STC4-Ex2 devices for 160 field loops, a required SIL of 2, a 24 V DC supply and a Source output, with the control side in a safe area, fed through the Power Rail with 2 KFD2-EB2 feed modules, on 1 rail and a 25 percent discount. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Power Rail needs enough feed modules. The Power Rail needs 4 KFD2-EB2 power feed module(s) for 160 devices; the quote has 2.
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  • Not enough rail length. The devices and feed modules need 20,250 tenths of a millimetre of rail and the quoted rails give 20,000.
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  • Discount above 20 percent. A discount of 25 percent is above the 20 percent limit.
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6. Large Ex2 panel, feed modules, rail length and discount: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 160 KFD2-STC4-Ex2 devices for 160 field loops, a required SIL of 2, a 24 V DC supply and a Source output, with the control side in a safe area, fed through the Power Rail with 4 KFD2-EB2 feed modules, on 2 rails and a 5 percent discount. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 160 device(s) for 160 loop(s), 4 feed module(s); illustrative total 50,777 USD after discount.
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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 a panel of K-System isolated barriers: a KFD2 device type, the number of field loops and devices, the required SIL, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the barrier line and returns a verdict, every reason and an illustrative total.
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  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
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  3. The agent says. Please quote 24 KFD2-STC4-Ex1.H devices for 30 field loops, a required SIL of 2, an 18 V DC supply and a Sink output. It is ready to send. The rest of the request is on screen.
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  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with five findings, all in one answer. 24 devices of 1 channel(s) each cannot serve 30 field loops. A supply of 18 V DC is outside the 20 to 35 V DC range of the selected device. The selected output mode is not available on the selected device. The other two are on screen.
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  6. The validator returned five 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.
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  7. What this shows: for channels against loops, 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 devices to 30, the supply voltage to 24 V DC, the output mode to source, the control side to Zone 2 and the loop load to 600 ohm.
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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. All five earlier findings are cleared.
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  13. Five problems 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. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    14.