Container volume calculation

[gdamato]

Hi,

I'm trying to create a container (like a shipping container or a truck) load plan & calculator. I'll have X amount of pallets with various dimensions and I need to figure out exactly how many trucks I will need and IDEALLY have a load plan of some kind so I know which pallet goes where in the container. In theory I could calculate the square inches of all of the pallets, then divide it by the square inches of floor space on a truck and it will at least give me an idea of how many trucks. The only issue is not all pallets are the same size and it's not realistic that you'll use 100% of a trucks floor space. If a truck is 96" wide and I have 2 pallets, one is 42" wide and the other is 60" wide I obviously can't fit them side by side which could cause problems. Does anyone here have any creative ideas I can use in excel that can help? I know there is container load planning software available, but I'm trying to do this on my own with something I can tweak if possible. Not only that, I'm trying to avoid the expense if possible.

Thanks for any and all help!

 

[gebobs]

Why reinvent the wheel?

Try this. It's online, it's free. I messed around with it for a few seconds. Dimensions in millimeters seems silly.

Cargo loading calculator

If not that, there are others on the googlez.

If you're dead set on that reinvention, this sounds like an interesting puzzle. Lemme know.

 

[gdamato]

I appreciate the tip! I just looked at it and I don't think it will work for me. I have SO many shipments that I would need to upload an excel list of dimensions and also we deal in only inches. There's a bunch of software on google, but most are hundreds of dollars. I love excel and was hoping there was a way this could be done, though I'm beginning to doubt it...

 

[gebobs]

I appreciate the tip! I just looked at it and I don't think it will work for me. I have SO many shipments that I would need to upload an excel list of dimensions and also we deal in only inches.

Well, Excel can do that conversion for you!

Or this one even. It can use cm or inches.
3D Load Calculator

There's a bunch of software on google, but most are hundreds of dollars. I love excel and was hoping there was a way this could be done, though I'm beginning to doubt it...

Might be right, but don't give up just yet.

I suppose there's no standard for containers, certainly not trucks. So I guess that would have to be specified up front for each calculation. Same for pallets, but there would be one or more of each.

Do you stack pallets? Maybe some, but others specify no stacking or top only? Is it pallets only?

 

[gdamato]

It would mostly be pallets and I would only need it to be 2 dimensional in regard to floor space only. I wouldn't need to figure out pallet stacking at all for what I would need it for. I really just need something where I can specify the dimensions of a big rectangle (the truck), then list the lengths and widths of my pallets and AT LEAST have it tell me with certainty if it will fit in one, two, three trucks etc... Ideally I'd like to number the pallets and have the application give me a load order of some kind for me to follow.

 

[gebobs]

It would mostly be pallets and I would only need it to be 2 dimensional in regard to floor space only. I wouldn't need to figure out pallet stacking at all for what I would need it for. I really just need something where I can specify the dimensions of a big rectangle (the truck), then list the lengths and widths of my pallets and AT LEAST have it tell me with certainty if it will fit in one, two, three trucks etc... Ideally I'd like to number the pallets and have the application give me a load order of some kind for me to follow.

This is probably way over my head, but could put a sample shipment on google docs or something?

 

[gdamato]

Here's a sample. Trucks interior space is 102" wide x 636" long. The dims are L x W x H. Ignore the height as I'm only wanting to calculate floor space without stacking.

Pallet #	Dims
1	51 X 99 X 70
2	52 X 101 X 45
3	38 X 55 X 28
4	83 X 50 X 66
5	40 X 54 X 85
6	42 X 54 X 85
7	40 X 49 X 80
8	40 X 49 X 80
9	66 X 28 X 75
10	69 X 30 X 74
11	43 X 51 X 60
12	43 X 51 X 60
13	43 X 47 X 46
14	42 X 70 X 30
15	55 X 43 X 88
16	55 X 43 X 88
17	77 X 49 X 86
18	77 X 51 X 62
19	48 X 44 X 69
20	47 X 30 X 75
21	56 X 38 X 74
22	56 X 38 X 74
23	56 X 38 X 74
24	56 X 38 X 74

<tbody>
</tbody>

 

[Murali2491]

I appreciate the tip! I just looked at it and I don't think it will work for me. I have SO many shipments that I would need to upload an excel list of dimensions and also we deal in only inches. There's a bunch of software on google, but most are hundreds of dollars. I love excel and was hoping there was a way this could be done, though I'm beginning to doubt it...

Hi, even I have the same problem? Did u find any solution for this. If u have something pls share I need to calculate the container size.

 

[Veridical Angel]

I found an app, but I'm still struggling with the app not moving the PALLET to a variable space.