How to make a load plan

A good load plan is built before the goods reach the dock. First describe the load units, then fix the constraints of the space and the working order, then compare the possible layouts. The fact that everything fits on the drawing does not make a variant ready to execute - weight, stability, stacking ability, access during unloading and securing all need judging separately.

Where to start

Start with the purpose of the shipment. A uniform batch of cartons plans differently from several packaging types, and differently again from finished pallets that have to reach consignees in a set order. Split the goods into groups with shared characteristics, and don't average the data just to start calculating sooner.

For each group, write down what may change during stacking. May the parcel be rotated? Can another layer go on top? Does a given unit have to stay accessible at the first stop? Constraints like these narrow the sensible options faster than the floor dimension does.

What to collect before you start

A working example: eight cartons of 600 × 400 × 300 mm at 12 kg, plus four of 400 × 300 × 250 mm at 6 kg. Before any result, establish the permitted rotations, whether the smaller packages may sit on the larger, the combined layer weights, access to both groups and the room needed for securing. Those assumptions matter more than a quick answer on pieces per row.

Choosing the load space and sensible assumptions

The same set of units may need a different layout on a pallet, in a trailer and in a container. Write the usable dimensions of the specific space into the plan, not just the vehicle name. Account for what eats into it: wheel arches, posts, the door opening, excluded zones and the margin needed to secure the load. Counting rules for the various vehicle types are collected under vehicle loading.

Every result should carry its assumptions visibly. Change the pallet format, the orientation, the stacking option or the load space, and the calculation has to be redone - which stops one number being carried across vehicles and shipments it does not actually fit.

Loading order and the constraints you cannot skip

Order does not follow from weight alone. It has to combine the loading sequence with the unloading sequence, the fragility of the goods and safe access to particular units. Heavier packaging usually makes a more stable base, but it must not block a batch due out earlier. Delicate goods, equally, should not become a support simply because they fill a gap neatly.

• Separate the geometry check from the weight and stability check.
• Judge whether each planned layer can carry the one above it.
• Keep units that are due out first reachable without dismantling the load.
• Leave room for straps, corner protectors and any anti-slip material.

Comparing variants before you start

Two layouts that both "fit" are not equally good. Compare them on fill rate, on how much space is left in usable blocks rather than scattered gaps, on the weight distribution along the space, and on how many handling moves the unloading order costs. A variant that fills 95% of the floor but buries the first delivery behind the last is worse than one at 88% that unloads in sequence.

The most common mistakes

Averaging the data across groups to get to a number faster. Planning against catalogue dimensions instead of usable ones. Fixing the loading order from weight alone and discovering at the first stop that the right pallets are unreachable. And treating a geometric fit as a finished plan.