Keep units consistent
Centimetres divide by 100 on each side before multiplication. Inches convert to metres on each side. Cubing a linear conversion factor is a common source of errors.
Mixed cartons are a sum
Calculate quantity × carton volume for each line, then add the lines. The current MVP handles one line at a time and provides a copyable result.
Worked example: twenty 60 × 40 × 30 cm cartons
Convert the sides to metres: 0.60 × 0.40 × 0.30. One carton is 0.072 m³. Multiply by 20 cartons to get 1.44 CBM. Keep the unrounded line result until the shipment total is complete.
Turn a carton list into a shipment total
For mixed cartons, calculate length × width × height × quantity for each line in metres, then add the line totals. Keep mass and volume as separate constraints because available cubic space does not guarantee payload or physical fit.
- Convert every dimension before multiplying
- Multiply each carton type by its own quantity
- Add unrounded line volumes
- Round only the final shipment total
Questions this guide should answer
What is the CBM formula for centimetres?
Divide each dimension by 100 to convert it to metres, multiply the three converted sides, then multiply by quantity.
Does total CBM tell me whether cartons fit in a container?
No. CBM is total geometric volume. Door openings, unusable space, orientation, stacking and payload can still limit the real load.