When you have to make a shipment, you need to know the volume occupied by the package, usually expressed in cubic meters. The precise method for calculating this size depends on the shape of the package.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Cuboid Pack
Step 1. Measure the sides of the box
You need to know the width, height and length of the rectangular container; use a ruler to find the three dimensions and write them down separately.
- Cubic meters are a unit of measurement of volume, so you have to use the standard formula to find the size of cuboids.
- Example. Calculate the volume, expressed in cubic meters, of a rectangular package 15 cm long, 10 cm wide and 8 cm high.
Step 2. Convert the measurements to meters if necessary
When dealing with small packages, you can find the sizes in centimeters, inches or millimeters. Before calculating the volume in cubic meters, you need to transform the measured data into meters.
- The exact equation to use for the conversion depends on the source unit of measure.
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Example: the original dimensions were measured in centimeters; to turn them into meters, divide the numbers by 100. Repeat this process for all three values; the unit of measurement for length, width and height must be the same.
- Length: 15cm / 100 = 0.15m;
- Width: 10cm / 100 = 0.1m;
- Height: 8cm / 100 = 0.08m
Calculate CBM Step 3 Step 3. Multiply the three dimensions together
Use the formula for the volume of the rectangular box and multiply the length by the height and by the width.
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The formula, written with abbreviations, should look like this: V = a * b * h.
Where a is the length, b is the width and h is the height
- Example: V = 0.15m * 0.1m * 0.08m = 0.0012m3.
Calculate CBM Step 4 Step 4. Note the volume
The product of the three dimensions corresponds to the volume (expressed in cubic meters) of the box.
Example: the volume of the package is 0.0012 m3, that is, it means that the package occupies a space equal to 0, 0012 m3.
Method 2 of 4: Cylindrical Pack
Calculate CBM Step 5 Step 1. Measure the length and radius of the package
When you need to ship a tube or other cylindrical package, you need to know its height (or length) and the radius of the circular section; find these values using a ruler and write them down separately.
- Since your goal is to calculate the volume, you have to use the standard formula for cylinders.
- Remember that the radius of the circular section is exactly half of the diameter and that the diameter is the segment that joins two points of the circumference through the center. To get the radius, measure the diameter of a circular face of the cylinder and divide the value by two.
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Example. Calculate the volume of a cylindrical package 64 inches tall and 20 inches in diameter.
Find the neck radius by dividing the diameter by two: 20 inches / 2 = 10 inches
Calculate CBM Step 6 Step 2. Convert measurements to meters when needed
When you have to handle small packages, these are usually measured in centimeters, millimeters or, in the Anglo-Saxon states, in inches; you have to convert these units to meters to calculate the volume in cubic meters.
- The conversion factor to use depends on the original unit of measure.
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Example: the dimensions were measured in inches and to convert them into meters you have to divide the original numbers by 39, 37; repeat this process for both values.
- Height: 64 inches / 39.37 = 1.63m;
- Radius: 10 inches / 39.37 = 0.25m.
Calculate CBM Step 7 Step 3. Enter the values in the formula for the volume
To find the space occupied by the pipe, you need to multiply the height by the radius and then multiply the product by the constant π (pi).
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Written in an abbreviated way, the formula looks like: V = h * r2 * π.
Where h is the height, r is the radius and π is the constant equal to 3.14
- Example: V = 1.63m * (0.25m)2 * 3.14 = 1.63m * 0.0625m2 * 3, 14 = 0, 32 m3.
Calculate CBM Step 8 Step 4. Make a note of the volume
The product you calculated in the previous step corresponds to the volume, in cubic meters, of the cylindrical package.
Example: the volume of the neck is 0, 32 m3, which means that it occupies a space of 0, 32 m3.
Method 3 of 4: Irregularly Shaped Packages
Calculate CBM Step 9 Step 1. Measure the largest size
The irregularly sized package should be treated like a cuboid when calculating the volume for a shipment. Since length, width and height are not constant, you need to locate the three largest dimensions and measure them using some kind of tape measure or ruler; write down the three values separately.
- There is no standard formula to use to calculate the volume of an irregular three-dimensional object, you can only come up with an estimate.
- Example. Calculate the volume of an irregularly shaped package whose maximum length is 5 feet, maximum width is 3 feet, and maximum height is 4 feet.
Calculate CBM Step 10 Step 2. Convert the measurements to meters if necessary
If you have inadvertently measured these dimensions in centimeters, millimeters or, if you are in an Anglo-Saxon country, in feet, you must convert the information to meters before calculating the volume.
- Remember that the exact conversion factor depends on the unit of measure of origin of the three sides of the package.
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Example: the three dimensions were measured in feet. To convert this unit of measurement into meters, divide the value by the conversion factor 3, 2808; repeat this for all three dimensions.
- Length: 5ft / 3.2808 = 1.52m;
- Width: 3ft / 3.2808 = 0.91m;
- Height: 4 feet / 3,2808 = 1,22m.
Calculate CBM Step 11 Step 3. Multiply the length by the width and height
Treat the package as if it were a rectangular parallelepiped and multiply the three maximum dimensions together.
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The formula, written with abbreviations, should look like this: V = a * b * h.
Where a is the length, b is the width and h is the height
- Example: V = 1.52m * 0.91m * 1.22m = 1.69m3.
Calculate CBM Step 12 Step 4. Make a note of the volume
After you have found the product of the maximum three dimensions, you should know the useful volume for shipping the irregularly shaped package.
Example: the estimated volume for this package is 1.69 m3. While it does not completely "fill" this space, 1.69m is required3 to pack and transport it.
Method 4 of 4: Calculate the Total Volume of a Shipment of Multiple Packages
Calculate CBM Step 13 Step 1. Find the volume of each match
If the shipment involves sending several lots and each of them is composed of a certain number of packages of the same size, you can find the total volume without calculating that of each package. To start you have to find the space occupied by a unit-package that makes up the lot.
- Use the necessary method to calculate the unit volume based on the shape of the package (cuboid, cylinder or irregular).
- Example: The rectangular, cylindrical and irregular packages described in the previous sections are part of a single shipment. This means that the volume occupied by the cuboid is 0.0012 m3, the cylindrical one is equal to 0, 32 m3 and the irregular one has a volume of 1.69 m3.
Step 2. Multiply each unit volume by the number of packages
Within each batch, multiply the volume of each unit you calculated by the number of packages in that particular batch. Repeat the process until you have found the space occupied by each batch of the expedition.
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Example: there are 50 rectangular packages in the first batch, 35 tubes in the second and 8 irregularly shaped packages in the third.
- Lot volume of rectangular parcels: 0, 0012 m3 * 50 = 0.06 m3;
- Total volume of cylindrical packages: 0, 32 m3 * 35 = 11.2 m3;
- Batch volume of irregularly shaped parcels: 1.69 m3 * 8 = 13.52 m3.
Step 3. Add the data obtained
After calculating the space occupied by each batch, add the values together to find out the space occupied by all the goods to be shipped.
Example: total volume of shipment = 0.06m3 + 11.2 m3 + 13, 52 m3 = 24.78 m3.
Calculate CBM Step 16 Step 4. Make a note of the value
Check the calculations; at this point, you should know the volume, expressed in cubic meters, of the entire shipment and no further mathematical steps are required.
Example: the total volume of the shipment, including the three lots, is 24.78 m3; this means 24.78m are needed3 of space to carry all the goods.
