HVAC Ductwork, Air Handling & Mechanical Products worked example

Crating Volume at 94% trailer packing efficiency: a worked example

What does the result look like when trailer packing efficiency reaches 94%? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use this when planning freight or staging for air handling unit deliveries, ductwork system shipments, or crated packaged HVAC equipment. Crate volume determines trailer requirements, staging area size, and LTL versus TL freight mode selection. For AHU modules, crate volume is typically larger than the equipment footprint due to crating clearances and protective foam or blocking.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Number of crated units or modules: 6 units (unchanged)
  • Crate volume per unit including clearances: 320 cu ft / unit (unchanged)
  • Trailer packing efficiency: 94 % (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 82)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Total crate volume = number of units × crate volume per unit) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 2,043 cu ft for required quantity, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1,920 cu ft for theoretical amount.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 123 cu ft for loss allowance.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 94 % for efficiency.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where trailer packing efficiency sits at 82% and the headline result is 2,341 cu ft, this scenario comes in 12.77% below the baseline at 2,043 cu ft.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when trailer packing efficiency is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. Packing efficiency is an estimate that depends on crate geometry, stacking rules and trailer interior dimensions; irregular AHU footprints can defeat a nominal efficiency, so verify against an actual load plan for tall or odd-shaped units.

Results at a glance

  • Required quantity: 2,043 cu ft (headline result)
  • Theoretical amount: 1,920 cu ft
  • Loss allowance: 123 cu ft
  • Efficiency: 94 %

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Crating Volume calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.