How automation rules work: applicability, conditions and actions
Learn how one rule engine with applicability, conditions and actions powers design constraints, hardware rules, manufacturing rules and design automation.
All automation rules configured in the admin portal share one structure with three parts. Applicability decides whether the rule applies to a unit at all (e.g. cabinets or wardrobes matching a tag, size range, or the design's sales channel). Conditions are then checked inside the applicable unit (e.g. a core material with a certain tag, a panel of a certain type). Actions define what is enforced or changed when conditions match. Each of the three sections can hold several entries combined with AND/OR logic chosen on the rule. This same engine powers four features: design constraints (restrict which catalogue items may be used together), hardware rules (automatically add hardware and connectors), manufacturing rules (set panel wastage factors, pre-milling, glue, conversion/assembly/packaging costs), and design automation (automatically swap materials, finishes, shutter designs, handles). Rules have an admin-defined order and an active flag; deactivated rules are skipped. Constraint-type rules use 'permits only' or 'does not permit' logic and match items by SKU or by tag.
Design intelligence is where hardware rules (for example how many minifixes or dowels are used and how they change automatically), design constraints and design automation rules are configured.
Hardware rules are configured once in the admin portal under Design Intelligence rather than per design.
Hardware rules add connectors to cabinets automatically.
The type and count of connectors depend on the cabinet's size and shelf type.
The added connectors can be viewed in X-ray mode.
A hardware rule can be conditioned on a shelf being marked as an adjustable shelf, so the matching hardware (for example shelf pins) and its drilling details are added automatically when that condition is met.
A hardware rule can be conditioned on a tag applied to shutter designs, so clips or other connector hardware are added automatically to the shutters carrying that tag.
A design constraint can, for instance, require a wall unit wider than 600 to use a double shutter instead of an extended single shutter.
For exceptional cases where only some cabinets need the hardware, hardware can be added manually instead of relying on the default rule.
When a fitting must be added manually in many designs, listing those cases for the Infurnia team lets them create a hardware rule and a construction style that applies it automatically to existing designs, removing the manual step.
Activate the rule and re-run the rules on the design so existing panels pick up the hardware.