How this calculation works
A container volume ratio can look generous while a row of boxes still leaves an unusable strip. This page uses whole-carton grids along three axes, then compares permitted orientations. Every candidate is listed so the selected arrangement can be checked against the measurements.
Uniform grid = floor(usable L/carton L) × floor(usable W/carton W) × floor(usable H/carton H), subject to door and payload checksA worked example
A 6000 by 2400 by 2400 mm interior holds 10 by 6 by 8 cartons of size 600 by 400 by 300 mm in the original orientation: 480 cartons. That equals 34.56 cubic metres and 4800 kg at 10 kg each. Changing usable payload to 2500 kg clamps the count to 250 without changing any geometric row count. The unused geometric space is not an error; mass and volume are independent constraints.
Good to know
Uniform identical-carton grids only, with no pallets, bracing, mixed packing, maneuvering simulation or stacking-strength analysis. A dimensionally fitting carton is not certified cargo. Confirm handling, restraint, local point loads and actual carrier limits before planning a shipment.
Reference: OpenStax — right-triangle trigonometry (opens in a new tab) ↗
What this model answers
A container volume ratio can look generous while a row of boxes still leaves an unusable strip. This page uses whole-carton grids along three axes, then compares permitted orientations. Every candidate is listed so the selected arrangement can be checked against the measurements.
The model loads identical cartons in one uniform orientation. It is deliberately different from a general three-dimensional bin-packing solver: it does not mix orientations within one load or optimize multiple carton sizes.
The Pallet carton layer layout calculator tests rotated footprint zones and a stack height. For palletized freight, determine a restrained pallet load first and then use its complete dimensions and gross mass as the cargo unit.
Measure the right inputs
Use measured usable interior dimensions and the actual door opening, not the external container size. Clearance is deducted at both ends of all three interior axes. No container size or payload is automatically inferred from a standard name.
The upright option keeps the third carton dimension vertical while allowing a footprint turn. The all-orientations option assumes the contents can tolerate tipping onto any face. Enter usable cargo payload after accounting for any other equipment or cargo not represented by these cartons.
Read the result in context
An orientation that fits the interior is rejected if its static width or height exceeds the door. Passing that check does not prove that a forklift can maneuver the carton into that orientation or that the final rows can be loaded in practice.
Payload can bind before the interior grid is full. The chosen orientation maximizes the count after applying the entered mass ceiling, with geometric count as a tie-break. It does not optimize axle distribution, loading sequence or unloading access.
Work through the numbers
A 6000 by 2400 by 2400 mm interior holds 10 by 6 by 8 cartons of size 600 by 400 by 300 mm in the original orientation: 480 cartons. That equals 34.56 cubic metres and 4800 kg at 10 kg each.
Changing usable payload to 2500 kg clamps the count to 250 without changing any geometric row count. The unused geometric space is not an error; mass and volume are independent constraints.
Where the model stops
Uniform identical-carton grids only, with no pallets, bracing, mixed packing, maneuvering simulation or stacking-strength analysis.
A dimensionally fitting carton is not certified cargo. Confirm handling, restraint, local point loads and actual carrier limits before planning a shipment.
A few questions, answered
Does this find the maximum possible packing?
No. It compares uniform orthogonal grids; mixed orientation layouts can sometimes hold more.
Is payload the gross container weight?
No. Enter the usable mass allocated to these cartons after tare and other cargo have been accounted for.