Predictika · Cooling tower orders

An AI sales agent's Marley NC cooling tower order, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares an order for a Marley NC steel cooling tower with a model and fan motor, a number of cells, a velocity recovery cylinder, a drive type, attenuators and the water conditions. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the specifications in the published Marley NC engineering data and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: Marley NC steel cooling tower orders (models NC8401 to NC8414): model and fan motor, cells, velocity recovery cylinder, drive, attenuators, water conditions and nominal tons. See everything this validator covers

This validator models orders for the Marley NC steel cooling towers listed in the published NC engineering data (NC8401, 8402, 8403, 8405, 8407, 8409, 8411, 8412, 8413 and 8414), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Model and fan motor — each model is offered only with certain motor sizes (for example the NC8401 from 2 to 15 hp and the NC8414 from 20 to 125 hp); the nominal tons of one cell come from the model table.
  • Velocity recovery cylinder — available on models NC8407 to NC8414 only; it raises the nominal tons of a cell, and discharge attenuators are not available with it.
  • Drive — belt drive is available on all models only up to 60 hp motors.
  • Nominal tons and the stated total — cells times the table tons for one cell, compared with the tons the order requires and with the total the order states. The table tons are at 95 F hot water, 85 F cold water, 78 F wet bulb and 3 gpm per ton.
  • Water conditions — hot water above 125 F affects normal PVC fill, and ethylene glycol in the water can plug fill passages; both need a person to confirm.

Any Marley NC steel tower order that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (no public price list is available, so this validator produces no price build-up or line-item quote), other Marley tower families, boilers and other SPX products, flow, approach and other site conditions, and the options the engineering data lists without a stated rule.

The AI sales agentBuilds the cooling tower 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.

8 scenarios in 4 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
Click to expand
    
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 motor size the chosen model is not offered withOnly with care
A per-model list of motor sizes that must be written and maintained for each model.		The model and motor are in one request and checked against the model table on every call.
A cylinder on a model that does not take it, with attenuatorsOnly with workarounds
The cylinder depends on the model and conflicts with an attenuator option, so it needs cross-option rules that interact with each other.		The model, cylinder and attenuators travel in one request and every restriction is checked together.
A total that disagrees with cells times the table tonsOnly with workarounds
The total is a derived figure that depends on the model, motor, cylinder and cell count; checking a stated total against it takes extra formulas that interact with the rest.		The stated total is a field in the request and is compared with the computed one.
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
Click to expand
    
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 velocity recovery cylinder is available only on models NC8407 to NC8414, not on NC8401, NC8402, NC8403 or NC8405.
2Discharge attenuators are not available for NC models with velocity recovery cylinders.
3Belt drive is available on all models only up to 60 hp; the selected motor is 75 hp.
4Belt drive is available on all models only up to 60 hp; the selected motor is 125 hp.
5The selected fan motor is not offered on the selected NC model; the model table lists only certain motor sizes for each model.
6The quote totals 1,183 nominal tons (1 cell at 1,183 tons each), below the 1,200 tons required.
7The quote has 0 cells; at least one cell is needed.
8The quote totals 0 nominal tons (0 cells at 678 tons each), below the 1,200 tons required.
9The quote totals 1,356 nominal tons (2 cells at 678 tons each), below the 1,357 tons required.
10The quote totals 678 nominal tons (1 cell at 678 tons each), below the 1,200 tons required.
11The quote states 1,400 nominal tons, but 2 cells at 678 tons each come to 1,356 tons.
12The quote states 1,356 nominal tons, but 2 cells at 696 tons each come to 1,392 tons.
13The quote states 0 nominal tons, but 2 cells at 678 tons each come to 1,356 tons.
14The hot water temperature is 126 F; water above 125 F adversely affects the service life and performance of normal PVC fill, so a person should confirm the fill.

  

  

    
Scenarios and results
Click to expand
    
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. Velocity recovery cylinder: An NC8403 with a velocity recovery cylinder, short of the required tons

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 cells of the Marley NC8403N-1 steel cooling tower with a 10 hp fan motor on belt drive, with the velocity recovery cylinder, for 1,200 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,100 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Velocity recovery cylinder not available on this model. The velocity recovery cylinder is available only on models NC8407 to NC8414, not on NC8401, NC8402, NC8403 or NC8405.
    • 
      
  • Tower smaller than the required nominal tons. The quote totals 1,100 nominal tons (4 cells at 275 tons each), below the 1,200 tons required.
    • 
    

    
2. Velocity recovery cylinder: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 4 cells of the Marley NC8407N-1 steel cooling tower with a 10 hp fan motor on belt drive, with the velocity recovery cylinder, for 1,200 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,540 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 4 cells at 385 nominal tons each, 1,540 nominal tons in all, against 1,200 tons required.
    • 
    

    
3. Motor, drive and capacity: A 125 hp motor on belt drive, short of the required tons

    
The agent's request. Please quote 1 cell of the Marley NC8414Y-1 steel cooling tower with a 125 hp fan motor on belt drive, for 1,500 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,366 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Belt drive limited to 60 hp motors. Belt drive is available on all models only up to 60 hp; the selected motor is 125 hp.
    • 
      
  • Tower smaller than the required nominal tons. The quote totals 1,366 nominal tons (1 cell at 1,366 tons each), below the 1,500 tons required.
    • 
    

    
4. Motor, drive and capacity: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 1 cell of the Marley NC8414Y-1 steel cooling tower with a 125 hp fan motor on gear drive, for 1,366 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,366 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 1 cell at 1,366 nominal tons each, 1,366 nominal tons in all, against 1,366 tons required.
    • 
    

    
5. Attenuators: Discharge attenuators with a velocity recovery cylinder

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 cells of the Marley NC8412U-1 steel cooling tower with a 50 hp fan motor on gear drive, with the velocity recovery cylinder and discharge attenuators, for 1,900 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,936 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Discharge attenuators not available with a velocity recovery cylinder. Discharge attenuators are not available for NC models with velocity recovery cylinders.
    • 
      
  • Stated tons differ from the model table. The quote states 1,936 nominal tons, but 2 cells at 1,012 tons each come to 2,024 tons.
    • 
    

    
6. Attenuators: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 cells of the Marley NC8412U-1 steel cooling tower with a 50 hp fan motor on gear drive, with discharge attenuators, for 1,900 nominal tons required at 95 F hot water. The order states 1,936 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 2 cells at 968 nominal tons each, 1,936 nominal tons in all, against 1,900 tons required.
    • 
    

    
7. Water conditions and capacity: One cell short of the required tons, with hot water above 125 F

    
The agent's request. Please quote 1 cell of the Marley NC8409T-1 steel cooling tower with a 40 hp fan motor on gear drive, for 1,300 nominal tons required at 130 F hot water. The order states 678 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Tower smaller than the required nominal tons. The quote totals 678 nominal tons (1 cell at 678 tons each), below the 1,300 tons required.
    • 
      
  • Hot water above 125F to confirm. The hot water temperature is 130 F; water above 125 F adversely affects the service life and performance of normal PVC fill, so a person should confirm the fill.
    • 
    

    
8. Water conditions and capacity: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote 2 cells of the Marley NC8409T-1 steel cooling tower with a 40 hp fan motor on gear drive, for 1,300 nominal tons required at 125 F hot water. The order states 1,356 nominal tons in all. It is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Order summary. 2 cells at 678 nominal tons each, 1,356 nominal tons in all, against 1,300 tons required.
    • 
    

  

  

    
Narration transcript
Click to expand
    
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 a Marley NC steel cooling tower. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the specifications in the published Marley NC engineering data 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 4 cells of the Marley NC8403N-1 steel cooling tower. The order states 1,100 nominal tons in all. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
    5. 
      
  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. The velocity recovery cylinder is available only on models NC8407 to NC8414, not on NC8401, NC8402, NC8403 or NC8405. The quote totals 1,100 nominal tons (4 cells at 275 tons each), below the 1,200 tons required.
    6. 
      
  6. The validator returned two 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.
    7. 
      
  7. What this shows: for a cylinder on a model that does not take it, with attenuators, a rules-based CPQ can do this only with workarounds.
    8. 
      
  8. Now the agent resubmits.
    9. 
      
  9. The corrected request. It changes the tower model to NC8407N-1 and the stated nominal tons as to 1,540.
    10. 
      
  10. It calls the validator again.
    11. 
      
  11. This time the validator clears it.
    12. 
      
  12. Both earlier findings are cleared, and the validator's figure matches the quote.
    13. 
      
  13. Two 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.
    14.