Methodology / worked examples
Carton Fit Desk guide
Use a measured product, a real inner carton dimension, and an editable carrier divisor to compare packaging choices. The decision rule is explicit: first discard cartons that cannot contain the cushioned product in any rotation, then compare cost and wasted volume.
1. Add clearance before rotating
A 210 × 160 × 110 mm product with 12 mm clearance on every side becomes 234 × 184 × 134 mm. Every candidate is tested against all six axis-aligned rotations.
Padded dimension = measured dimension + 2 × clearance
The 240 × 190 × 140 mm mailer fits that example at roughly 90.4% cushioned-volume use.
2. Separate fit from shipping weight
A carton may fit while dimensional weight exceeds the actual product weight. Enter the divisor supplied for the carrier or contract lane; the worksheet reports the larger of actual and dimensional weight for comparison.
Dimensional kg = carton volume (cm³) ÷ entered divisor (cm³/kg)
3. Validate a purchase decision
Check a sample carton physically, confirm whether the listed size is inner or outer, and revisit the divisor when a carrier changes its rules. Use the batch quantity and unit cost for procurement planning, not an implied quote.
- Keep the CSV rows short and label all assumptions.
- Treat a no-fit result as a measurement prompt, not an automatic carton recommendation.
- The data remains in the browser; this tool has no catalog or checkout.
Limits and assumptions
- Dimensions are user-entered inner dimensions and do not verify compression, void fill, stacking, breakage, or carrier acceptance.
- The worksheet checks one product per carton and does not solve multi-item nesting or packing optimization.
- Unit costs and dimensional divisors are manual assumptions, not live prices or carrier quotes.