Predictika · Level instrumentation

An AI sales agent's VEGAPULS 64 radar sensor configuration, checked before it goes out

An AI sales agent prepares a configuration for a VEGAPULS 64 radar level sensor for a fictional dairy plant: the antenna and process fitting version and size, the seal, the process connection, the temperature version, the process conditions, the measuring range and the beam angle the quote states. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the figures VEGA publishes in the VEGAPULS 64 operating instructions and returns a verdict, every reason and the figures it computed.

Scope: VEGAPULS 64 configurations: antenna and fitting version, seal, connection, process temperature and pressure, measuring range and beam angle, from the public operating instructions. See everything this validator covers

This validator models a VEGAPULS 64 (4 to 20 mA/HART, two-wire) configuration, based on the process-condition, beam-angle and measuring-range tables in VEGA's public operating instructions (document 51141-EN-190321), not just the scenarios shown below.

  • Version, size, seal and connection — the plastic horn antenna, thread with integrated horn antenna, flange with encapsulated antenna system and hygienic fitting each take only the seals and process connections listed for them; the plastic horn antenna is listed in DN 80 only.
  • Process temperature and pressure — the process temperature must lie within the range of the chosen version, seal and temperature version (including the -196 to +200 degrees Celsius flange version with PTFE seal), and the process pressure within the rating of the chosen process connection.
  • Measuring range and beam angle — a range above 30 m is blocked, a range above the recommended range for the version and size goes to a person, and a beam angle the quote states must match the version and size.
  • Rinsing air — a rinsing air connection in an Ex application needs the reflux valve.

Any VEGAPULS 64 configuration that touches these rules is in scope — not only the scenarios pictured here. Not covered: prices (VEGA publishes no list prices; its online Configurator holds the order codes, which this model does not use), ambient temperature derating, housing, approvals, electronics, flange and hygienic fitting details beyond the pressure ratings, and the newer VEGAPULS 6X.

The AI sales agentBuilds the configuration 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
Seal and connection choices that depend on the fitting versionOnly with workarounds
Each version offers its own seals and connections, so a rules-based CPQ needs a table per version, edited whenever the product changes.		The version, seal and connection are compared with what is listed for that version on every call.
Temperature range that depends on version, seal and temperature versionOnly with workarounds
The lowest and highest process temperature depend on three choices together, with a special -196 degrees Celsius flange version.		The range is computed from the choices and compared with the process temperature, both ends, on every call.
Pressure rating that depends on the connection and the low-temperature versionOnly with care
The pressure limit is per connection, and rises for some flanges in the low-temperature version.		The rated pressure is computed from the connection and version and compared with the process pressure.
Measuring range above the recommended rangeOnly with care
A hard limit and a recommended limit that varies with version and size need two different outcomes, block and approval.		Above 30 m blocks; above the recommended range needs a person; both on every call.
Every problem returned in one answerOnly with workarounds
Rules tend to fire as the configuration 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 plastic horn antenna is listed in DN 80 only.
2The chosen seal is not offered for this antenna and process fitting version.
3The chosen process connection does not belong to this antenna and process fitting version.
4The process reaches 150 degrees Celsius; this version is rated up to 130 degrees Celsius.
5The process reaches 210 degrees Celsius; this version is rated up to 200 degrees Celsius.
6The process reaches 90 degrees Celsius; this version is rated up to 80 degrees Celsius.
7The process falls to -20 degrees Celsius; this version with this seal is rated down to -15 degrees Celsius.
8The process falls to -100 degrees Celsius; this version with this seal is rated down to -40 degrees Celsius.
9The -196 to +200 degrees Celsius version is listed for the flange with encapsulated antenna system and PTFE seal only.
10The process falls to -30 degrees Celsius; this version with this seal is rated down to -20 degrees Celsius.
11The process pressure reaches 8 bar; this process connection is rated up to 6 bar.
12The process pressure reaches 20 bar; this process connection is rated up to 16 bar.
13The process pressure reaches 2 bar; this process connection is rated up to 1 bar.
14The process pressure reaches 12 bar; this process connection is rated up to 10 bar.
15The measuring range needed is 35 m; the maximum measuring range is 30 m.
16The measuring range needed is 12 m; the recommended measuring range for this version and size is up to 10 m, so a person should confirm the application.
17The measuring range needed is 28 m; the recommended measuring range for this version and size is up to 25 m, so a person should confirm the application.
18The reflux valve for the rinsing air connection is listed as absolutely necessary for Ex applications.
19The quote states a beam angle of 6 degrees; this version and size has 3 degrees.
20The measuring range needed is 32 m; the maximum measuring range is 30 m.

  

  

    
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. Process temperature and pressure: A flange sensor for 150 degrees Celsius and 20 bar

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with flange with encapsulated antenna system (large size), PTFE seal, flange PN 40 connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 150 degrees Celsius at up to 20 bar, with a measuring range of 12 m. The quote states a beam angle of 3 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Process temperature above the version limit. The process reaches 150 degrees Celsius; this version is rated up to 130 degrees Celsius.
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  • Process pressure above the connection limit. The process pressure reaches 20 bar; this process connection is rated up to 16 bar.
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2. Process temperature and pressure: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with flange with encapsulated antenna system (large size), PTFE seal, flange PN 40 connection, the -196 to +200 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 150 degrees Celsius at up to 20 bar, with a measuring range of 12 m. The quote states a beam angle of 3 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Sensor summary. Beam angle 3 degrees; this configuration is rated -196 to 200 degrees Celsius and up to 25 bar; recommended measuring range up to 30 m.
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3. Seal for the thread version: A thread sensor quoted with a PTFE seal

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with thread with integrated horn antenna (small size), PTFE seal, thread connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 100 degrees Celsius at up to 15 bar, with a measuring range of 8 m. The quote states a beam angle of 14 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Blocked.

    
    
      
  • Seal not offered for this version. The chosen seal is not offered for this antenna and process fitting version.
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4. Seal for the thread version: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with thread with integrated horn antenna (small size), FKM seal, thread connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 100 degrees Celsius at up to 15 bar, with a measuring range of 8 m. The quote states a beam angle of 14 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Sensor summary. Beam angle 14 degrees; this configuration is rated -40 to 130 degrees Celsius and up to 20 bar; recommended measuring range up to 10 m.
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5. Measuring range and size: A G3/4 thread sensor for a 12 m tank

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with thread with integrated horn antenna (small size), FKM seal, thread connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 100 degrees Celsius at up to 15 bar, with a measuring range of 12 m. The quote states a beam angle of 14 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Needs approval.

    
    
      
  • Measuring range above the recommended range. The measuring range needed is 12 m; the recommended measuring range for this version and size is up to 10 m, so a person should confirm the application.
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  • Sensor summary. Beam angle 14 degrees; this configuration is rated -40 to 130 degrees Celsius and up to 20 bar; recommended measuring range up to 10 m.
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6. Measuring range and size: The agent resubmits after fixing the errors

    
The agent's request. Please quote a VEGAPULS 64 with thread with integrated horn antenna (large size), FKM seal, thread connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 100 degrees Celsius at up to 15 bar, with a measuring range of 12 m. The quote states a beam angle of 7 degrees. The configuration is ready to send.

    
Verdict: Allowed.

    
    
      
  • Sensor summary. Beam angle 7 degrees; this configuration is rated -40 to 130 degrees Celsius and up to 20 bar; recommended measuring range up to 20 m.
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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 configuration for a VEGAPULS 64 radar level sensor for a fictional dairy plant: the antenna and process fitting version and size, the seal, the process connection, and more. Before it goes out, the agent sends it to Predictika, which checks it against a declarative model of the figures VEGA publishes in the VEGAPULS 64 operating instructions 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 VEGAPULS 64 with flange with encapsulated antenna system (large size), PTFE seal, flange PN 40 connection, the 130 degrees Celsius version. The process runs from -20 to 150 degrees Celsius at up to 20 bar, with a measuring range of 12 m. The rest of the request is on screen.
    4. 
      
  4. Before it goes out, the agent calls the validator.
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  5. Blocked, with two findings, all in one answer. The process reaches 150 degrees Celsius; this version is rated up to 130 degrees Celsius. The process pressure reaches 20 bar; this process connection is rated up to 16 bar.
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  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.
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  7. What this shows: for pressure rating that depends on the connection and the low-temperature version, 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 temperature version to -196 to +200 degrees Celsius.
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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. Both earlier findings are cleared.
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  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. Now you can try the other scenarios yourself.
    14.