User Guide

1Getting Started

Lightning Loader is a browser-based 3D load planning tool. No installation is required.

• No account needed to start planning — click Start Planning Now from the home page.
• Create a free account to save plans, export PDFs and access your work from any device.
• All features are free — multi-container packing, lashing calculations, packing list exports, unlimited saved plans and more.

2Selecting Equipment

Use the Select Equipment dropdown in the left panel to choose your container or vehicle type:

Tolerance: Set the gap (in cm or inches) between packed items. Default is 2 cm. Increase for easier manual loading, decrease for tighter packing.

3Adding Cargo

Click + Add Cargo in the left panel to add a new item. Each cargo item has the following fields:

4Importing from Excel

Click the Import Excel button to bulk-import cargo from a .xlsx file.

Required columns:

• Column headers must be in the first row
• Maximum file size: 5 MB
• Imported items are appended to the existing cargo list

53D Visualisation Controls

The 3D viewport shows your load plan in real time. Use the following controls:

Camera presets (buttons in the top-left corner):

• Isometric — default 3D perspective view
• Top / Left / Right / Front / Back — orthogonal views

Additional buttons:

• Animate Loading — plays a step-by-step forklift loading simulation showing the order each item should be loaded
• Toggle Dimensions — shows/hides distance measurements to container walls
• Undo — reverses the last drag/rotate action (also Ctrl+Z)

6Drag, Rotate & Undo

After the packing engine places your items, you can manually adjust positions:

7Stats Bar & Warnings

The stats bar above the 3D viewport shows key metrics in real time:

Warnings:

• OVERWEIGHT — appears at the top of the viewport when total cargo weight exceeds the container's maximum. Shows how much over the limit you are.
• Unpacked Items — appears at the bottom when items could not fit. Recommendations for larger containers are shown.

8Truck Axle Configuration

When a truck is selected, additional controls appear below the tolerance setting:

• Trailer Axles: Select 2 or 3. Tri-axle trailers (3) are the most common in Europe.

Changing axle counts updates:

1. The 3D model — correct number of wheel sets are rendered with proper spacing
2. The axle weight calculation — a 3-point beam model distributes cargo weight across steer, drive and trailer groups
3. The stats bar tooltips — hover over each axle weight to see how many axles share that load

9Saving & Loading Plans

You must be signed in to save plans.

• Save: Click the Save button in the planner toolbar. Enter a plan name on first save.
• Auto-save: After the first manual save, changes auto-save after 2 seconds of inactivity.
• My Plans: Click My Plans in the navigation bar to see all saved plans. Click any plan to reload it.

10PDF Export

Logged-in users can export load plans as PDF files:

• Loading Plan PDF — includes a screenshot of the 3D view, cargo list, weights and utilisation metrics.
• Packing List PDF — detailed commercial packing list with:
  • Shipper and consignee details (saved per user for future use)
  • Vessel/flight, port of loading/discharge
  • Container seal number and invoice reference
  • Complete itemised cargo table

11Multi-Container Packing

When your cargo doesn't fit in a single container or truck, Lightning Loader automatically distributes it across multiple containers of the same type (up to 10).

How It Works

1. Add your cargo as normal and select your container/truck type
2. If items don't fit, the engine automatically packs overflow into additional containers
3. A dark container tab bar appears above the stats bar showing all containers
4. Click any tab to switch the 3D view and stats to that container

Container Tab Bar

Exporting All Containers

The Export PDF dropdown gains two additional options when multiple containers are active:

• Export All Loading Plans — generates a separate loading plan PDF for each container, named PlanName_Container1of3.pdf, etc.
• Export All Packing Lists — generates a separate packing list PDF for each container with the same shipper/consignee details.

You can also export the currently viewed container's loading plan or packing list individually using the standard export options.

12Account Settings

Manage your account at Account Settings.

What You Can Do

• Update your first name and company name
• Delete your account — permanently removes all data including saved plans

Single Session Policy

Each account allows only one active session at a time. When you log in on a new device or browser, all previous sessions are automatically signed out. This protects your account from unauthorised use.