Predictika · Industrial gear coupling selection and quotes

An AI sales agent's gear coupling quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for an SB-series gear coupling: size, design, the drive it serves, shaft bores and the coupling torque the quote states. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the selection rules in the published catalogue and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: SB-series gear couplings (basic, retaining ring, spacer and spacer with retaining ring designs), sizes 30 to 340: torque, bores, speed, displacement and temperature. See everything this validator covers

This validator models the selection of SB-series gear couplings, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Torque — the shaft torque from power and speed, times the application's service factor (and 1.3 for an alternating direction of rotation), must not exceed the coupling's nominal torque; peak torque is limited to 1.5 times and maximum torque to 3 times the nominal torque.
  • Bores and speed — each hub bore must fall in the size's minimum to maximum range, and the operating speed must not exceed the size's maximum speed reduced by the speed factor for the angular displacement in service.
  • Designs — with a retaining ring the permitted angular displacement is 0.6 degrees for each coupling half; spacer designs need a minimum shaft-end distance for the size (listed up to size 200, so larger sizes go to a person).
  • Environment and stated figures — the ATEX marking applies from -20 to +60 degrees C, the catalogue data from -20 to +100 degrees C, and the coupling torque stated on the quote must equal the size's rating.

Any SB-series selection that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (RENK publishes no price list for these couplings, so this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), the SBk, LBk and HBk families, brake-disc, vertical, insulated and intermediate-shaft designs, high-speed (API 671) applications, the shaft-hub connection check, the critical speed of long spacers, finished bores and balancing, and delivery.

The AI sales agentBuilds the coupling quote from the drive data 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
Torque that depends on power, speed and the applicationOnly with care
The required rating is a calculation from power, speed, a service factor and a direction factor, compared with a per-size table; each piece is a field or rule someone has to build and keep consistent.		Power, speed, service factor and direction are in one request; the required torque is computed on every call and compared with the size's rating.
A speed limit that shrinks with angular displacementOnly with workarounds
The permitted speed is a size-by-displacement table; a rules-based CPQ usually needs a lookup table and custom logic for every size and displacement.		The size, displacement and speed travel together, so the permitted speed is looked up and compared on every call.
Design-specific limits (retaining ring, spacer length)Only with care
A retaining ring changes the permitted displacement and a spacer needs a minimum length that depends on the size; each is a separate conditional rule.		Both are checked with the design and size in the same request, whichever order the choices arrive in.
Hard limits versus items for a person to confirmOnly with care
Catalogue guidance (a service factor below the usual range, a temperature outside the data range) is not a hard stop; rules engines tend to either block or ignore it.		Blocking findings and approval findings are separate: the quote is stopped for hard limits and routed to a person for guidance items.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as a step is saved, 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 hub A bore of 75 mm is outside the 28 to 70 mm range for this size.
2The application needs a coupling nominal torque of at least 6,453 Nm (shaft torque x service factor x direction factor); size 60 gives 5,900 Nm.
3The application needs a coupling nominal torque of at least 5,910 Nm (shaft torque x service factor x direction factor); size 60 gives 5,900 Nm.
4The application needs a coupling nominal torque of at least 6,292 Nm (shaft torque x service factor x direction factor); size 60 gives 5,900 Nm.
5The service factor of 1.1 is below the catalogue range of 1.2 to 1.3 for this application; a person should confirm the choice.
6The peak torque of 19,501 Nm is above the permitted peak coupling torque of 19,500 Nm (1.5 x nominal torque).
7The maximum torque of 39,001 Nm is above the permitted maximum coupling torque of 39,000 Nm (3 x nominal torque).
8The hub A bore of 54 mm is outside the 55 to 110 mm range for this size.
9The hub A bore of 93 mm is outside the 32 to 92 mm range for this size.
10The hub B bore of 95 mm is outside the 32 to 92 mm range for this size.
11The operating speed of 2,200 rpm is above the permitted 2,100 rpm for this size at this angular displacement (maximum speed 5,000 rpm x speed factor 42 percent).
12With a retaining ring the permitted angular displacement is 0.6 degrees for each coupling half; the quote has 0.75 degrees.
13A spacer design of this size needs a shaft-end distance E of at least 144 mm; the quote has 143 mm.
14The catalogue lists the minimum spacer length only up to size 200; a person should confirm the spacer length for size 220 with RENK.
15The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 23,000 Nm; size 80 has 13,000 Nm.
16The ATEX marking of the SB series applies only for ambient temperatures from -20 to +60 degrees C; the quote has 65 degrees C.
17The catalogue data apply from -20 to +100 degrees C; at 120 degrees C the lubricant, seals and materials need checking with RENK.
18The ATEX marking of the SB series applies only for ambient temperatures from -20 to +60 degrees C; the quote has -30 degrees C.
19The catalogue data apply from -20 to +100 degrees C; at -30 degrees C the lubricant, seals and materials need checking with RENK.
20With a retaining ring the permitted angular displacement is 0.6 degrees for each coupling half; the quote has 1.0 degrees.
21A spacer design of this size needs a shaft-end distance E of at least 117 mm; the quote has 100 mm.
22The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 13,000 Nm; size 60 has 5,900 Nm.

  

  

    
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. Pump drive: A pump drive on a size 60 coupling with an oversized bore and a wrong stated torque

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 60 SB (basic design) gear coupling for a centrifugal pump (light liquid) drive: 600 kW at 1,480 rpm, service factor 1.25, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.25 degrees, hub bores of 75 mm and 65 mm, ambient temperature 20 degrees C, not in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 6,000 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Hub A bore outside the size range. The hub A bore of 75 mm is outside the 28 to 70 mm range for this size.
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  • Stated torque does not match. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 6,000 Nm; size 60 has 5,900 Nm.
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2. Pump drive: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 70 SB (basic design) gear coupling for a centrifugal pump (light liquid) drive: 600 kW at 1,480 rpm, service factor 1.25, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.25 degrees, hub bores of 75 mm and 65 mm, ambient temperature 20 degrees C, not in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 9,000 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Coupling summary. RENK size 70 SB gear coupling: nominal torque 9,000 Nm (application needs 4,840 Nm), bore range 28 to 78 mm, permitted speed 5,400 rpm.
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3. Crusher drive: A crusher drive on a size 80 coupling with a retaining ring

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 80 SRL (spacer with retaining ring) gear coupling for a crusher drive: 900 kW at 1,000 rpm, service factor 2.2, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 1.0 degrees, hub bores of 100 mm and 90 mm, and a shaft-end distance of 170 mm, ambient temperature 20 degrees C, not in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 13,000 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Coupling torque too low for the application. The application needs a coupling nominal torque of at least 18,909 Nm (shaft torque x service factor x direction factor); size 80 gives 13,000 Nm.
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  • Hub A bore outside the size range. The hub A bore of 100 mm is outside the 32 to 92 mm range for this size.
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  • Angular displacement too large with a retaining ring. With a retaining ring the permitted angular displacement is 0.6 degrees for each coupling half; the quote has 1.0 degrees.
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4. Crusher drive: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 110 SRL (spacer with retaining ring) gear coupling for a crusher drive: 900 kW at 1,000 rpm, service factor 2.2, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.5 degrees, hub bores of 100 mm and 90 mm, and a shaft-end distance of 170 mm, ambient temperature 20 degrees C, not in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 30,500 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Spacer length below the minimum. A spacer design of this size needs a shaft-end distance E of at least 179 mm; the quote has 170 mm.
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5. Crusher drive: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 110 SRL (spacer with retaining ring) gear coupling for a crusher drive: 900 kW at 1,000 rpm, service factor 2.2, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.5 degrees, hub bores of 100 mm and 90 mm, and a shaft-end distance of 180 mm, ambient temperature 20 degrees C, not in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 30,500 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Coupling summary. RENK size 110 SRL gear coupling: nominal torque 30,500 Nm (application needs 18,909 Nm), bore range 65 to 120 mm, permitted speed 3,200 rpm.
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6. Conveyor in an ATEX area: A conveyor drive for an ATEX area at 70 degrees C

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 140 SB (basic design) gear coupling for a belt or circular conveyor drive: 300 kW at 1,450 rpm, service factor 1.2, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.25 degrees, hub bores of 100 mm and 110 mm, ambient temperature 70 degrees C in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 61,000 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • ATEX use outside the marked temperature range. The ATEX marking of the SB series applies only for ambient temperatures from -20 to +60 degrees C; the quote has 70 degrees C.
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  • Service factor below the catalogue range. The service factor of 1.2 is below the catalogue range of 1.3 to 1.5 for this application; a person should confirm the choice.
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7. Conveyor in an ATEX area: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a RENK size 140 SB (basic design) gear coupling for a belt or circular conveyor drive: 300 kW at 1,450 rpm, service factor 1.3, constant direction of rotation, angular displacement 0.25 degrees, hub bores of 100 mm and 110 mm, ambient temperature 55 degrees C in an ATEX area. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 61,000 Nm. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Coupling summary. RENK size 140 SB gear coupling: nominal torque 61,000 Nm (application needs 2,569 Nm), bore range 85 to 156 mm, permitted speed 3,400 rpm.
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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 an SB-series gear coupling: size, design, the drive it serves, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the selection rules in the published catalogue and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
    3. 
      
  3. The agent says. Please quote a RENK size 80 SRL (spacer. The quote states a coupling nominal torque of 13,000 Nm. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with three findings, all in one answer. The application needs a coupling nominal torque of at least 18,909 Nm (shaft torque x service factor x direction factor); size 80 gives 13,000 Nm. The hub A bore of 100 mm is outside the 32 to 92 mm range for this size. With a retaining ring the permitted angular displacement is 0.6 degrees for each coupling half; the quote has 1.0 degrees.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned three 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 torque that depends on power, speed and the application, a rules-based CPQ is error-prone for this.
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  8. Now the agent resubmits.
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  9. The corrected request. It changes the coupling to RENK size 110, SRL (spacer with retaining ring), the angular displacement to 0.5 and the stated coupling nominal torque to 30,500.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
    11. 
      
  11. Still blocked, with one finding, all in one answer. A spacer design of this size needs a shaft-end distance E of at least 179 mm; the quote has 170 mm.
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  12. Three findings cleared, but the change brings a different blocking finding: spacer length below the minimum.
    13. 
      
  13. The agent resubmits once more.
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  14. The revised request. It changes the shaft-end distance E to 180 mm.
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  15. It calls the validator once more.
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  16. This time the validator clears it.
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  17. The earlier finding is cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
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  18. Three problems caught in one call, fixed in two passes, 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.
    19.