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.
• Start a 7-day free trial by creating an account — all Pro features are included during the trial. No credit card required.
• After the trial ends, your account becomes Expired. You will be directed to the Pricing page to subscribe. Saved plans and data are retained for 3 months from the expiry date.
• Pro subscription ($20 USD/month via PayPal) continues your full access after the trial ends: PDF exports, commercial invoice exports, multi-container packing, Excel import, cargo library, warehouse digital twin, analytics dashboard, unlimited plans and an ad-free experience.

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:

Optional columns:

• Column headers must be in the first row
• Maximum file size: 5 MB
• Imported items are appended to the existing cargo list
• Currency: ISO 4217 currency code (e.g. USD, EUR, GBP). Also recognised as CCY. Defaults to USD if omitted.
• Value: Unit value per item for commercial invoice purposes. Also recognised as Unit Value, Unit Price, or Price. Defaults to 0 if omitted.

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.
• 7-day trial: Unlimited saved plans during the trial period. All Pro features are available.
• Pro tier: Unlimited saved plans. Subscribe to Pro after your trial ends.
• Expired accounts: Saved plans are retained for 3 months from the expiry date. After that, the account and all data are permanently deleted.

10PDF Export

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
• Commercial Invoice PDF — itemised invoice with unit values, currency, shipper and consignee details. Shipper/consignee profiles are saved per user for future use.
• Lashing Plan PDF — exports the lashing and securing calculations from the Lashing Plan page.

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 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.
• Export All Commercial Invoices — generates a separate commercial invoice PDF for each container.

You can also export the currently viewed container's loading plan, packing list or commercial invoice 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
• View your account details and registration date
• Manage your subscription — view your current plan, trial expiry or next billing date and payment receipt. Pro subscribers can cancel at any time; Pro access continues until the end of the current billing period, then the account becomes Expired.
• Submit feedback directly to the development team
• Delete your account — permanently removes all data including saved plans

Account Lifecycle

• 7-Day Trial — new accounts have full Pro access for 7 days.
• Pro — active $20 USD/month subscription via PayPal.
• Expired — trial or Pro subscription has ended. You will be directed to the Pricing page on next login. Saved data is kept for 3 months from the expiry date, then permanently deleted.

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.

13 Cargo Item Library

Save commonly used cargo items (standard pallets, IBC tanks, drums, etc.) to your personal library. Items are stored with full dimensions, weight, colour, stackability settings and optional unit value.

1. Navigate to Cargo Library from the header bar or click here.
2. Click Add Item and enter the cargo details.
3. Click Add to Plan on any library item to insert it directly into the Load Planner.

14 Inventory Management

Track your warehouse stock with the built-in Inventory Manager. Available to all account holders at Inventory.

• Add Items: Record items by SKU, name, dimensions, weight and quantity. Assign a status (Available, Reserved, Damaged, In Transit) and optional warehouse location.
• Excel Import: Bulk-import inventory records from a .xlsx spreadsheet.
• Search & Filter: Search by SKU or item name, and filter by status or warehouse zone to quickly locate stock.
• Add to Plan: Click Add to Plan on any inventory item to push it directly into the Load Planner — either create a new plan or append to an existing one. This automatically pre-fills the cargo dimensions and weight from your inventory record.
• Location Tracking: Assign items to warehouse locations or bins. Manage location assignments alongside the Warehouse Digital Twin.

15 Warehouse Digital Twin

Design and manage a 3D digital twin of your warehouse layout. Access it at Warehouse Layout.

• Layout Editor: Define racks, zones and individual bins using an interactive 3D editor. Configure aisle gaps and rack dimensions in metric or imperial.
• Auto Layout: Automatically re-layout racks within the warehouse floor. The floor auto-sizes to fit your rack arrangement.
• Spatial Inventory: Assign inventory items to specific bins. View real-time occupancy and bin assignments overlaid on the 3D model.
• Multi-Bin Assignments: A single inventory item can be assigned to multiple bins simultaneously to reflect split stock locations.
• Route Planning & Pick Visualisation: Link a saved load plan to the warehouse. The twin displays numbered pick-order labels on each bin, showing the optimal route for loading the plan. Waypoints are ordered by load sequence.

16 Share Plans via Link

Generate a read-only shareable URL for any saved plan. Recipients can view the plan details without logging in.

1. Go to My Plans.
2. Click the Share button on a plan card.
3. Copy the link and send it to colleagues, clients or warehouse teams.

17 Plan History & Versioning

Every time you save a plan, a version snapshot is automatically created. You can view the full history and restore any previous version.

1. Go to My Plans.
2. Click the history button on a plan card.
3. Browse all versions with timestamps and item counts.
4. Click Restore to revert to a previous version (a new version is created first to preserve the current state).

18 Floor Load Heatmap

Visualise how cargo weight is distributed across the container or truck floor using a colour-coded heat overlay. Helps identify areas of excessive floor loading before dispatch.

1. In the Load Planner, pack your cargo as normal.
2. Click the Floor Heatmap tab above the 3D viewport.
3. Optionally enter the floor's bearing capacity (kg/m²) to enable overstress warnings.
4. The heatmap renders a colour-coded overlay: blue = light load, yellow = moderate, red = heavy concentration or overstress.
5. Switch back to the Load Planner tab to continue editing; the heatmap updates automatically when you return.

19 Dashboard & Analytics

Track your planning activity with a personalised dashboard.

• KPI Cards: Total plans, cargo items, volume (CBM) and library items at a glance.
• Monthly Trends: Bar chart of plans created over the last 6 months.
• Container Usage: Breakdown showing which container types you use most.
• Weight & Volume Summary: Cumulative totals across all your plans.
• Warehouse Summary: Bin occupancy and inventory totals from your warehouse layout.

Access it from the button in the header or go to Dashboard.

20 Lashing Plan Calculator

Calculate lashing and securing requirements for your cargo in compliance with IMO CTU Code and EN 12195-1 standards.

1. In the Load Planner, pack your cargo and save the plan.
2. Click the Lashing Plan tab that appears in the toolbar (available for sea freight and container equipment types).
3. Configure transport mode (Sea or Road), sea area and friction coefficients.
4. The calculator outputs the number and placement of lashing points required for each cargo item. Pro users can export the results as a Lashing Plan PDF.

21 Logistics Wiki

A free reference library covering common logistics terminology and standards. No account required.

• Incoterms® 2020 Chart — all 11 Incoterms with a colour-coded breakdown of seller and buyer responsibilities for freight, insurance, customs and delivery.
• Shipping & Transport Glossary — definitions of common industry terms.

Access it from the Logistics Wiki link in the navigation bar or go to Logistics Wiki.