{
  "id": "cbm",
  "version": "02c24f7867f7",
  "status": "published",
  "name": "CBM Calculator",
  "question": "What is the CBM of my shipment?",
  "summary": "Computes the volume of a shipment in cubic metres (CBM) and cubic feet from the length, width and height of a carton and the number of cartons.",
  "category": "logistics",
  "subcategory": "shipping",
  "url": "https://www.acalculator.org/logistics/cbm-calculator",
  "markdown": "https://www.acalculator.org/logistics/cbm-calculator.md",
  "kind": "function",
  "method": "CBM of one carton = length × width × height in metres; total CBM = CBM of one carton × number of cartons; cubic feet = CBM ÷ 0.028316846592.",
  "assumptions": [
    "Sizes are the outside dimensions of each carton, which carriers measure.",
    "Every carton has the same size; for mixed sizes, add up the CBM of each size."
  ],
  "inputs": {
    "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
    "type": "object",
    "properties": {
      "l": {
        "title": "Length",
        "description": "The outside length of one carton or package.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "w": {
        "title": "Width",
        "description": "The outside width of one carton or package.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "h": {
        "title": "Height",
        "description": "The outside height of one carton or package.",
        "type": [
          "number",
          "string"
        ],
        "x-quantity": "length",
        "exclusiveMinimum": 0,
        "maximum": 100
      },
      "n": {
        "title": "Number of cartons",
        "description": "How many cartons of this size are in the shipment.",
        "type": "integer",
        "minimum": 1,
        "maximum": 1000000
      }
    }
  },
  "outputs": {
    "cbm": {
      "label": "Total CBM (m³)",
      "description": "The volume of all the cartons in cubic metres: CBM of one carton × the number of cartons.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "each": {
      "label": "CBM of one carton (m³)",
      "description": "Length × width × height of one carton, in cubic metres.",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "cubicFeet": {
      "label": "Total cubic feet (ft³)",
      "description": "The total volume in cubic feet (1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³).",
      "format": "number"
    },
    "liters": {
      "label": "Total litres",
      "description": "The total volume in litres (1 m³ = 1,000 L).",
      "format": "number"
    }
  },
  "defaultAnswer": {
    "inputs": {
      "l": 0.5,
      "w": 0.4,
      "h": 0.3,
      "n": 10
    },
    "outputs": {
      "cbm": 0.6,
      "each": 0.06,
      "cubicFeet": 21.188800032893155,
      "liters": 600
    },
    "text": "The shipment takes up 0.6 m³ (21.19 ft³)."
  },
  "examples": [
    {
      "given": {
        "l": 0.5,
        "w": 0.4,
        "h": 0.3,
        "n": 10
      },
      "expect": {
        "each": 0.06,
        "cbm": 0.6,
        "liters": 600,
        "cubicFeet": 21.188800032893155
      },
      "source": "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 in = 2.54 cm; 1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³). https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c; hand calculation in content.mdx: 0.5 × 0.4 × 0.3 = 0.06 m³; × 10 = 0.6 m³ = 21.19 ft³"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "l": 0.6095999999999999,
        "w": 0.4572,
        "h": 0.30479999999999996,
        "n": 4
      },
      "expect": {
        "cubicFeet": 12,
        "each": 0.084950539776,
        "cbm": 0.339802159104
      },
      "source": "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 in = 2.54 cm; 1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³). https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c; hand calculation in content.mdx: 24 × 18 × 12 = 5,184 in³ = 3 ft³; × 4 = 12 ft³ = 0.3398 m³"
    },
    {
      "given": {
        "l": 1.2,
        "w": 1,
        "h": 1.5,
        "n": 1
      },
      "expect": {
        "cbm": 1.8,
        "cubicFeet": 63.56640009867946
      },
      "source": "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (1 in = 2.54 cm; 1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³). https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c; hand calculation in content.mdx: 1.2 × 1.0 × 1.5 = 1.8 m³"
    }
  ],
  "sources": [
    "NIST Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement: 1 in = 2.54 cm; 1 ft = 0.3048 m; 1 ft³ = 0.028316846592 m³; 1 L = 0.001 m³. https://www.nist.gov/document/2026-nist-handbook-44-appendix-c (retrieved 2026-10-02)"
  ],
  "related": [
    "freight-class",
    "container-pallet",
    "volume"
  ],
  "changelog": []
}