What Are Quotable Carton Dimensions for the ELVS?

Overview

The ELVS carton erector can handle a wide range of carton sizes, but only specific dimensions are quotable — meaning they will run reliably on the machine. This article explains the dimensional constraints that determine whether a carton is quotable for the ELVS and how to verify your carton specifications.

Step 1 — Understand the Three Dimensional Constraints

Every quotable carton must satisfy three independent dimensional requirements based on carton length, width, and height.

ℹ️ Carton Orientation: Length is the longest side of the carton footprint, width is the shorter side of the footprint, and height is the vertical dimension when the carton sits flat on a conveyor.

Dimension	Quotable Range	What It Means
Length (L)	8" to 27"	The longest side of the carton base
Width (W)	5" to 20"	The shorter side of the carton base
Height (H)	Calculated per Step 2	The vertical dimension of the carton

Step 2 — Verify the Height-Width Relationship

The ELVS has a unique constraint: the height of the carton is not evaluated independently. Instead, half the width plus the height must fall within a specific range.

📋 The Formula: (½ Width + Height) must be between 6" and 33"

How to calculate:

Take the carton width
Divide it by 2
Add the carton height
Check that the result is between 6" and 33"

Example 1 — Quotable Carton:

Length: 12", Width: 8", Height: 10"
Calculation: (8 ÷ 2) + 10 = 4 + 10 = 14"
Result: 14" is within 6" to 33" ✅ Quotable

Example 2 — Non-Quotable Carton:

Length: 20", Width: 18", Height: 20"
Calculation: (18 ÷ 2) + 20 = 9 + 20 = 29" ✅ Within range
BUT see Step 3 — must also check the length-to-width ratio

Step 3 — Check the Length-to-Width Ratio

The ELVS cannot reliably handle cartons where the length is more than 2.5 times the width. This ensures stable handling and pickup during the erection process.

📋 The Ratio Constraint: L/W must be less than 2.5

How to calculate:

Divide the carton length by the carton width
Verify the result is less than 2.5

Example 1 — Quotable Ratio:

Length: 18", Width: 10"
Calculation: 18 ÷ 10 = 1.8
Result: 1.8 < 2.5 ✅ Quotable

Example 2 — Non-Quotable Ratio:

Length: 24", Width: 8"
Calculation: 24 ÷ 8 = 3.0
Result: 3.0 is NOT less than 2.5 ❌ Non-Quotable

Step 4 — Square Carton Special Case (L = W)

When a carton has equal length and width dimensions, special construction is required for reliable operation on the ELVS.

⚠️ Square Cartons Must Be Notched. If L = W, the carton must have notches cut into the interior of the base. These notches allow the ELVS pickup arm to grip and lift the carton reliably.

Why notching is required: Square cartons present a symmetry challenge — the ELVS pickup arm cannot determine orientation without reference marks. Notches provide the necessary tactile and visual reference for the vacuum system to achieve a secure grip.

Example:

Length: 10", Width: 10" (square carton)
Height: 8"
Status: ❌ Not quotable unless notches are added
With notches: ✅ Quotable

Quick Reference — Is Your Carton Quotable?

Use this checklist to determine if a carton is quotable for the ELVS:

✅ Verification Checklist:

Length: Is it between 8" and 27"?
Width: Is it between 5" and 20"?
Height Formula: Is (½W + H) between 6" and 33"?
Length-to-Width Ratio: Is L/W less than 2.5?
Square Carton: If L = W, are notches present?

If all answers are YES, the carton is quotable for the ELVS.

Common Mistakes

Mistake	Result	Fix
Only checking length and width, ignoring the height formula	Assumes a carton is quotable when the height-width relationship violates constraints — machine may not run or runs unreliably	Always calculate (½W + H) and verify it is between 6" and 33"
Forgetting to check the L/W ratio	Long, narrow cartons may be quoted but fail on the ELVS due to stability and grip issues	Always divide length by width and confirm the result is less than 2.5
Using a square carton without notches	The ELVS pickup arm cannot grip the carton reliably — repeated pickup failures and carton drops	Add interior notches to the carton base, or request a non-square alternative from the customer
Assuming all cartons within stated length/width ranges are quotable	Cartons near the upper height limits may exceed the 33" maximum when the formula is applied	Always complete all four constraint checks — no single dimension guarantees quotability
Rounding intermediate calculations	Edge-case cartons are incorrectly classified as quotable or non-quotable	Carry decimals through calculations; round only the final result when comparing to constraints

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