5.3.5 How to specify the intermediate packaging container

When some goods are palletized first and then packed together with other bulk goods, and some goods need to be packed in specified containers. How to define it in LoadMaster?

Here is an example to explain:

Cargo data:

name	quantity	length（cm）	width（cm）	height（cm）
A	26	100	45	50
B	96	60	50	25
C	48	60	50	15
D	160	55	55	22
E	272	60	20	20
F	232	60	40	30

Loading requirements:

1) All goods can only be placed as the height is vertical to the ground.

2) Cargo A is directly loaded into the container; cargo B C is palletized first and then loaded into the container, free to choose the pallet.

3) Cargo D is packed into a wooden box and then loaded into a container. The inner diameter of the wooden box is 1100*1100*1100mm, and the outer diameter is 1160*1160*1160mm.

4) The cargo E F is loaded on the designated pallet and then loaded into the container. The designated pallet size: 1200*800*120mm, with a height limit of 1.2 meters (including the height of the pallet).

5) Calculate what type of container is suitable for loading, and use how many to load.

Specific steps:

Step 1: For there is a requirement to specify intermediate packaging, it is necessary to maintain the specified container in the database firstly.

1) After logging in, click [Container Management] on the left to enter the container database.

2) For there are only few types of intermediate packaging specified in this case, you can add them one by one. Click [Add Container] in the upper right corner.

①First add the wooden box, edit the name of the container in the pop-up box (for example "Wooden box 1100*1100*1100"), select the type as "Box pallet". Then define the inner and outer diameter of the wooden box, and finally Click [Save].

②Then add a pallet, click [Add container], edit the name of the tray in the pop-up box (for example, "pallet 1200*800*120"), select the type as "Flat pallet". And define the length of the pallet as 120cm, width as 80cm and height as 12cm, the maximum load height is 120cm, and finally click [Save].

Note: If the data of the specified package is large, you can also use the excel template to import in batches. For the specific method steps, please refer to the "Container Management" above.

Step 2: According to the current loading requirements, the task type [2-Steps Loading] should be selected.

Enter the [Basic Information] interface. The items in this page is optional, and users can fill in the PO number, order number or destination information according to actual work requirements for later check. Next, start to designing the plan:

Step 3: Click [Cargo] on the left to enter the cargo interface. For there are lots of cargo types, you should add them in batches by [Add Cargo>Import From Excel]. Firstly, click [Add Cargo>Get Excel Template] to download the Excel template and save it to a certain location in your computer.

Secondly, fill in the template with the cargo information. ①Copy the name, quantity, length, width, height, and weight (gross weight of a single box) of the goods into the template, which are required items. Pay attention to the matching of the units. “Weight” refers to the gross weight of a single carton or box of goods. If the cargo is too light, the “Weight” can be ignored and not filled in, and the system will default to "1".

②Then define the load orientations of the goods. For it is required that cargoes can only be placed as the height is vertical to the ground, that is only “stand” and “stand & rotate” are allowed, you should fill in “0” under the “allowed” Column of other orientations. “0” means not allowed such load orientation, leave it blank or “1” means allowed.

③Define the properties for loading. For cargo A is required to directly load the container, cargo B and C are first palletized and then loaded into the container, cargo D is packed into a wooden box first and then into the container, cargo E and F are packed into the designated pallet first and then into the container, you should define the "Intermediate Packing Method" : Set A to 0; B C to 1; DEF to 2. And fill in the name of the corresponding designated package, which should be consistent with the name in the container database in the first step.

“0” or blank means that the goods are directly loaded into the container; “1” means that the goods are free to choose the appropriate pallet/carton; “2” means that the goods are loaded with the designated intermediate packaging.

In this case, other loading requirements are not involved, therefore other parameters in the template do not need to be set, just leave it the default values. If there are other requirements in actual work, please refer to the relevant introduction above for the details of other parameters. After filling in the template, save and close it.

Thirdly, return the [Cargo] page, click [Add Cargo>Import From Excel], choose the template in the dialog box, and open it. Then the cargo information will be imported to the task.

Step 4: Click [Container] on the left to enter the [Container] interface. For the user does not know the type and quantity of container that should be used, it is necessary to add all the commonly used container types so that the system can select the most appropriate container from such containers. Edit the corner castings size and reserved size of the container, the size of the corner castings is 10*10*10cm. Precautions for defining the reserved size, please refer to "How to simulate carton expansion and manual interval".

Note: For this case is pallet loading, the height reserved size should be set to 10cm in order to facilitate forklift operations; therefore, the 10cm of container corner castings are also deducted, therefore the size of corner castings does not need to be set.

Step 5: Click the [Intermediate Containers] on the left to add freely chosen pallets. You can add all the commonly used pallets, and the system will automatically select the appropriate one. Click [Import from Database] to check the commonly used 1200*1000, 1100*1100 pallets in the pop-up box, and then click [add].

If there is no commonly used pallet in the database, you can click the [flat pallet] under [Add Container], and then edit the name, length, width, height and other information. In order to avoid repeated input each time, you can also maintain the commonly used pallet in the database. For details, please refer to the above "Container Management" .

Step 6: Click [Loading Rules] on the left to enter the [Loading Rules] page. For there is no special loading demands, you needn't change the default rules in this page.

Step 7: Click [Intermediate Loading Rules] on the left to define the loading rules when the goods are palletized. For there is no special loading demands, you needn't change the default rules in this page.

Finally, click [Optimize] above or click [Loading Plan] on the left to calculate. According to the container list on the left, it can count the number of containers used by this batch of goods. You can click on the container name to see the 3D loading diagram of each container. On the right side of the diagram are the cargo statistics, loading steps and balance analysis of current container.

Click on the container name, and you can see that cargo A is directly loaded into the container, cargo D is loaded into the designated wooden box, cargo E and F is loaded on the designated pallet, and cargo B and C is free to choose 1100*1100 pallets from the 3D picture, which fully meets loading requirements.

After the scheme audit is completed, you can use your mobile phone to guide the on-site loading and download the loading report to make the packing list and customs declaration. Details please refer to this guidance book.