About this calculator
Place multiple carton sizes on user-defined pallets using a bounded 3D heuristic. Orientation, pallet payload, support footprint and accumulated top-load limits constrain every accepted placement.
Inputs
How to use this calculator
Product type
- Carton length (in)Outer carton dimension.
- Carton width (in)Outer carton dimension.
- Carton height (in)Outer carton dimension.
- Weight per carton (lb)Measured gross carton weight.
- Cartons requestedEnter a whole number of cartons for this product type.
- Can another carton be stacked on this carton?Only allow stacking when the package can support the entered top load.
- Maximum additional load this carton can support (lb)User-supplied packaging or test limit; ignored when stacking is not allowed. This input is shown when Can another carton be stacked on this carton? is set to Yes.
- Keep the carton upright?Upright-only cartons may rotate on the pallet footprint but cannot be tipped onto another face.
Shared inputs
- Usable pallet length (in)Inside the placement boundary; no overhang is modeled.
- Usable pallet width (in)Inside the placement boundary; no overhang is modeled.
- Pallet deck height (in)Boxes are placed above this deck; enter the measured value.
- Maximum loaded height from floor (in)Includes the pallet deck height.
- Pallet tare (lb)Included in the maximum gross pallet weight; use measured tare.
- Maximum gross pallet weight (lb)Includes pallet tare and all cartons. User-supplied limit.
- Identical pallets availableWhole pallet count; the bounded heuristic supports up to 50.
Enter the shipment or scenario values, then select Calculate result.
Method
Formula and variables
A 3D packing heuristic tests allowed carton orientations and entered pallet payload. A separate placement check accepts only pallet-deck placements or an exact single-carton footprint above a support, then checks bounds, overlap and accumulated top load for every carton in that column.
- Carton length (in)
- Outer carton dimension.
- Carton width (in)
- Outer carton dimension.
- Carton height (in)
- Outer carton dimension.
- Weight per carton (lb)
- Measured gross carton weight.
- Cartons requested
- Enter a whole number of cartons for this product type.
- Can another carton be stacked on this carton?
- Only allow stacking when the package can support the entered top load.
- Maximum additional load this carton can support (lb)
- User-supplied packaging or test limit; ignored when stacking is not allowed. This input is shown when Can another carton be stacked on this carton? is set to Yes.
- Keep the carton upright?
- Upright-only cartons may rotate on the pallet footprint but cannot be tipped onto another face.
- Usable pallet length (in)
- Inside the placement boundary; no overhang is modeled.
- Usable pallet width (in)
- Inside the placement boundary; no overhang is modeled.
- Pallet deck height (in)
- Boxes are placed above this deck; enter the measured value.
- Maximum loaded height from floor (in)
- Includes the pallet deck height.
- Pallet tare (lb)
- Included in the maximum gross pallet weight; use measured tare.
- Maximum gross pallet weight (lb)
- Includes pallet tare and all cartons. User-supplied limit.
- Identical pallets available
- Whole pallet count; the bounded heuristic supports up to 50.
Interpret the result
Placed quantity and leftovers describe this feasible heuristic plan. They do not prove global optimality or load stability, and a geometric placement is not transport approval.
Outputs: Placed cartons by product type, pallet use, gross weight and unplaced quantity
Heuristic only; not a globally optimal 3D bin-packing solution. Stack placement requires the upper carton footprint to match one supporting carton exactly. No bridging, load stability, center of gravity, wrap, strap, pallet strength or transport-safety certification is calculated. Up to 200 cartons and 50 pallets are accepted per calculation; cartons left over are reported.
Worked example
Check the arithmetic
This example uses the starting values shown above. The arithmetic below is calculated independently of the interactive result.
Work through the calculation
- Four 10 × 10 in footprints fit a 20 × 20 in deck in a 2 × 2 grid; one 10 in layer is below the 20 in height limit.
- Two cartons at 5 lb plus two at 10 lb give 2 × 5 + 2 × 10 = 30 lb, below the 100 lb gross limit with zero tare.
- This independently establishes a feasible four-carton plan. The default heuristic must place 4 of 4 cartons without overlap and satisfy its support and weight checks.
Compare the displayed result
Expected displayed result: 4 of 4 cartons placed
FAQs
Can one upper carton bridge two supporting cartons?
No. This implementation requires one exact matching support footprint for a stacked carton and checks accumulated column load. Bridging is excluded.
Example inputs and options
Starting values are examples unless a field identifies a dated rule. Unit selectors convert only fields marked for conversion. Rates and model options keep the units and basis shown in their labels.
- Carton length (in)
- Example: 10
- Carton width (in)
- Example: 10
- Carton height (in)
- Example: 10
- Weight per carton (lb)
- Example: 5
- Cartons requested
- Example: 2
- Can another carton be stacked on this carton?
- Example: YesOptions: No; Yes
- Maximum additional load this carton can support (lb)
- Example: 20
- Keep the carton upright?
- Example: No, other faces allowedOptions: Yes, upright only; No, other faces allowed
- Usable pallet length (in)
- Example: 20
- Usable pallet width (in)
- Example: 20
- Pallet deck height (in)
- Example: 0
- Maximum loaded height from floor (in)
- Example: 20
- Pallet tare (lb)
- Example: 0
- Maximum gross pallet weight (lb)
- Example: 100
- Identical pallets available
- Example: 1