Help & Guide
Everything you need to know about using P4 Packing.
Help & Guide
Getting Started
P4 Packing helps you find the optimal way to pack items into containers using AI-powered 3D bin packing.
To get started, open the Sandbox:
- Add one or more items with dimensions, quantities, and optional constraints.
- Add one or more containers with dimensions and loading mode.
- Click PACK to run the AI engine.
- View the results in the 3D viewer — orbit, zoom, and inspect placements.
Tip: Use a preset to quickly load a sample configuration.
Items
Each item represents a product or box you want to pack. Configure the following fields:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Color | Visual color for the item in the 3D viewer. Click to pick. |
| Name | A label to identify the item (e.g. "Laptop Box"). |
| Qty | How many of this item to pack. |
| Durability | Stacking strength from 1 (fragile) to 10 (very strong). Items with lower durability will be placed on top of stronger items. |
| Upright Only | When enabled, the item won't be rotated on its side — height always points up. |
| L / W / H | Length, width, and height of the item. Choose inches or centimeters. |
| Weight | Weight per unit. Used with the max weight constraint. |
Containers
Containers are the boxes, pallets, or trailers you want to pack items into.
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A label to identify the container (e.g. "Medium Carton"). |
| L / W / H | Interior dimensions of the container. |
| Loading Mode | How items are loaded: Top Down (default — items dropped from above), Front Load (items loaded through the front), or Side Load (items loaded from the side). |
The engine selects the smallest container that fits all items. You can provide multiple container sizes for best-fit selection.
Standard Shipping Containers
Here are common shipping container dimensions for reference:
| Container | Dimensions | Volume | Max Payload |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10ft | 283 × 235 × 239 cm | ~16 m³ | ~9,000 kg |
| 20ft Standard (20GP / TEU) | 590 × 235 × 239 cm | ~33 m³ | ~25,000 kg |
| 40ft Standard (40GP) | 1203 × 235 × 239 cm | ~67 m³ | ~27,000 kg |
| 40ft High Cube (40HC) | 1203 × 235 × 269 cm | ~76 m³ | ~27,000 kg |
| 45ft High Cube | 1355 × 235 × 269 cm | ~86 m³ | ~27,000 kg |
Dimensions are interior measurements. Actual capacity varies by manufacturer.
Packing Options
| Option | Description |
|---|---|
| Max Weight | Set a maximum weight per container. The engine will not exceed this limit when packing. |
| Single SKU per Container | When enabled, each container holds only one type of item. Useful for batch packing. |
Understanding Results
After packing, the results panel shows:
- Summary — total containers used and items packed.
- Container table — each container with its dimensions, item count, and weight.
- Utilization — percentage of container volume used.
- Unpacked items — any items that didn't fit are listed separately.
Click a container row to view it in the 3D viewer.
3D Viewer
The interactive 3D viewer lets you inspect the packing result from any angle.
Mouse Controls
| Action | Control |
|---|---|
| Orbit / Rotate | Left-click + drag |
| Pan | Right-click + drag |
| Zoom | Scroll wheel |
Keyboard Shortcuts
| Key | Action |
|---|---|
| W / A / S / D | Orbit camera |
| Space / C | Move camera up / down |
| ← → | Previous / next container |
| ↑ ↓ | Zoom in / out |
Playback
Use the animation controls to watch items being placed one by one in packing order.
API Access
The packing engine is also available as a REST API. Send a
POST /api/pack request with your items and containers to get optimized results programmatically.
For commercial API keys, contact P4 Software to discuss your needs.
See the API Reference for full endpoint documentation.