Predictika · Plate processing quotes

An AI sales agent's plate processing quote, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a quote for cut-to-size plate: a material (carbon, stainless or aluminum plate), a cutting process (plasma, oxy-fuel, laser, waterjet or saw), a thickness and plate size, a finish, a mill test report, a number of plates and parts per plate, and the delivery speed. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of plate processing and returns a verdict and every reason.

Scope: Plate processing quotes: A36, A572 Grade 50, 304 and 316 stainless and 6061 aluminum plate, five cutting processes, deburring and edge grinding, mill test reports and standard or expedited delivery (no prices). See everything this validator covers

This validator models plate processing quotes for a metals service center, not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Material and cutting process — five plate materials, plasma, oxy-fuel, laser, waterjet and saw cutting, the thickest plate each process handles for each material, and the plate sizes the laser bed and the plant accept.
  • Finish, certification and delivery — deburring and edge grinding, which cuts need them, the mill test report required on 316 stainless, and standard or expedited delivery.
  • Quantities and approvals — 1 to 500 plates, the part count the quote states against plates times parts per plate, and the large, heavy and expedited orders that go to a manager instead of being blocked.

Any plate processing quote that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: tube, bar, sheet and coil, forming, welding and machining, and shipping. Public versus modeled: Ryerson's public pages describe plasma, laser and burning and sawing of carbon, stainless and aluminum plate up to 10 inches thick; the per-process thickness limits, laser bed size, plate size range, finish and certification rules, quantity limits, the waterjet option and every approval threshold are modeled by Predictika as typical for a metals service center and are not published by Ryerson. No prices are modeled.

The AI sales agentBuilds the plate processing 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
A thickness limit that depends on the process and the materialOnly with care
Plasma, oxy-fuel, laser, waterjet and saw each have their own limit, and laser is lower on aluminum, so the rule has to look at two fields at once.		The process, the material and the thickness are fields of one quote and are checked together on every call.
A stated part count that must equal plates times parts per plateOnly with workarounds
The count is derived from two other fields; checking a stated figure against it takes extra formulas that interact with the rest of the rules.		The stated count is a field in the request and is compared with the computed count.
Finish and certification rules that depend on the cutOnly with care
Edge grinding only on thermal cuts and a mill test report on 316 stainless are separate rules, each tied to a different field.		Each is a finding of the same call, listed next to the others.
Orders that should go to a manager rather than be blocked or passedOnly with care
A separate approval path with its own thresholds that must not overlap the blocking rules.		Blocks and approvals come back together; approval-only orders are not blocked.
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.

    
1The plate is 250 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 200 for this material in this model.
2The plate is 1,100 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 1,000 for this material in this model.
3A thickness of 1,100 hundredths of an inch is outside plate processing, 0.06 to 10 inches.
4A thickness of 4 hundredths of an inch is outside plate processing, 0.06 to 10 inches.
5The plate is 150 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 100 for this material in this model.
6The plate is 75 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 50 for this material in this model.
7The plate is 900 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 800 for this material in this model.
8Oxy-fuel burning cuts carbon steel only; stainless and aluminum plate need plasma, laser, waterjet or saw.
9The laser bed handles plate up to 72 by 144 inches in this model; the plate is 80 by 144.
10The laser bed handles plate up to 72 by 144 inches in this model; the plate is 72 by 150.
11A plate of 130 by 96 inches is outside the 6 to 120 inch width and 6 to 240 inch length range of this model.
12A plate of 48 by 300 inches is outside the 6 to 120 inch width and 6 to 240 inch length range of this model.
13A plate of 4 by 96 inches is outside the 6 to 120 inch width and 6 to 240 inch length range of this model.
14Edge grinding removes dross from thermal cuts; laser, waterjet and saw edges do not need it.
15316 stainless plate is quoted with a mill test report; the quote has none.
16Waterjet cutting is not offered with expedited delivery in this model.
17Expedited delivery of plate 2 inches or thicker needs a plant manager to confirm the cutting slot.
18An order covers 1 to 500 plates in this model; the quote has 0.
19An order covers 1 to 500 plates in this model; the quote has 501.
20Each plate must yield at least one part; the quote has 0.
21The quote states 30 parts, but the plates and parts per plate add up to 40.
22The quote states 50 parts, but the plates and parts per plate add up to 40.
23100 plates of 2 inches or thicker need a plant manager to confirm saw and crane capacity.
245,000 parts or more need a sales manager to confirm the nesting and schedule.
25The quote states 10 parts, but the plates and parts per plate add up to 40.

  

  

    
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. 316 stainless plate, laser cut: 316 stainless laser-cut plate with edge grinding and no mill test report

    
The agent's request. Please quote 316 stainless plate, 1.5 inches thick and 80 by 144 inches, cut by laser with edge grinding. The order is 40 plates with 6 parts each and states 220 parts in total, for standard delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Thickness above the process limit. The plate is 150 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 100 for this material in this model.
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  • Plate too large for the laser. The laser bed handles plate up to 72 by 144 inches in this model; the plate is 80 by 144.
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  • Edge grinding on a clean-cut process. Edge grinding removes dross from thermal cuts; laser, waterjet and saw edges do not need it.
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  • 316 stainless without a mill test report. 316 stainless plate is quoted with a mill test report; the quote has none.
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  • Stated part count differs from the quote. The quote states 220 parts, but the plates and parts per plate add up to 240.
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2. 316 stainless plate, laser cut: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 316 stainless plate, 1.5 inches thick and 80 by 144 inches, cut by waterjet and deburred, with a mill test report. The order is 40 plates with 6 parts each and states 240 parts in total, for standard delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 40 plates, 240 parts, plate 80 by 144 inches, 150 hundredths of an inch thick.
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3. Heavy aluminum plate, expedited: Expedited 6061 aluminum oxy-fuel order of 120 heavy plates

    
The agent's request. Please quote 6061 aluminum plate, 3 inches thick and 130 by 200 inches, cut by oxy-fuel. The order is 120 plates with 3 parts each and states 360 parts in total, for expedited delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Oxy-fuel on stainless or aluminum. Oxy-fuel burning cuts carbon steel only; stainless and aluminum plate need plasma, laser, waterjet or saw.
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  • Plate outside size limits. A plate of 130 by 200 inches is outside the 6 to 120 inch width and 6 to 240 inch length range of this model.
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  • Heavy plate in volume. 120 plates of 2 inches or thicker need a plant manager to confirm saw and crane capacity.
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  • Expedited thick plate. Expedited delivery of plate 2 inches or thicker needs a plant manager to confirm the cutting slot.
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4. Heavy aluminum plate, expedited: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 6061 aluminum plate, 3 inches thick and 120 by 200 inches, cut by waterjet. The order is 120 plates with 3 parts each and states 360 parts in total, for standard delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Heavy plate in volume. 120 plates of 2 inches or thicker need a plant manager to confirm saw and crane capacity.
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  • Order summary. 120 plates, 360 parts, plate 120 by 200 inches, 300 hundredths of an inch thick.
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5. Large order, 304 stainless: 304 stainless laser-cut order of 520 plates

    
The agent's request. Please quote 304 stainless plate, 1.25 inches thick and 48 by 96 inches, cut by laser. The order is 520 plates with 8 parts each and states 4,160 parts in total, for standard delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Thickness above the process limit. The plate is 125 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 100 for this material in this model.
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  • Plate quantity outside 1 to 500. An order covers 1 to 500 plates in this model; the quote has 520.
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6. Large order, 304 stainless: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 304 stainless plate, 1.25 inches thick and 48 by 96 inches, cut by plasma. The order is 480 plates with 8 parts each and states 3,840 parts in total, for standard delivery. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 480 plates, 3,840 parts, plate 48 by 96 inches, 125 hundredths of an inch thick.
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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 cut-to-size plate: a material (carbon, stainless or aluminum plate), a cutting process (plasma, oxy-fuel, laser, waterjet or saw), a thickness and plate size, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of plate processing and returns a verdict and every reason.
    2. 
      
  2. I will start with the first request by the agent.
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  3. The agent says. Please quote 316 stainless plate, 1.5 inches thick and 80 by 144 inches, cut by laser with edge grinding. The order is 40 plates with 6 parts each and states 220 parts in total, for standard delivery. 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. The plate is 150 hundredths of an inch thick but the chosen cutting process handles up to 100 for this material in this model. The laser bed handles plate up to 72 by 144 inches in this model; the plate is 80 by 144. Edge grinding removes dross from thermal cuts; laser, waterjet and saw edges do not need it. 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 a stated part count that must equal plates times parts per plate, 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 process to waterjet, the finish to deburr and the stated total parts to 240. It sets the mill test report to yes.
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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, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
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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.