TUZHE PACKAGING GUIDE
Macaron Box Inserts: What to Measure Before Ordering a Custom Tray
Define shell span, filled thickness and packing orientation, then distinguish cavity space from the outer tray before requesting a custom sample.
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Cover illustration: AI-generated custom design concept, not a photograph of a manufactured sample.
A macaron’s shell diameter is only one measurement in an insert brief. The filled thickness, decoration and packing orientation determine which surfaces need room. Define those axes before a supplier turns a photograph into a proposed tray.
Start with the finished macaron in its intended orientation
Draw a simple top and side view. Mark whether the macarons will lie flat, stand on edge or sit at an angle supported by a shaped cavity. A dimension called “height” changes meaning when the same item is rotated.
Use three labels consistently: D for the largest shell span, T for the complete filled thickness, and E for any decoration or filling extending beyond that basic outline. Add the liner or wrapper as a separate item. Photograph the actual assortment and identify any variety that occupies more space than the others.
For a flat arrangement, shell span mainly affects the footprint and filled thickness mainly affects headroom. For an edge-standing arrangement, the filled thickness may occupy the narrow slot while the shell span contributes to occupied height. Show the orientation on the drawing instead of asking the supplier to infer it from a number.
Separate the tray envelope from the space inside a position
The outer length and width tell you where the tray might fit. They do not describe each cavity. Walls, folded dividers, sloping sides and corner shapes use some of that space. For example, BRP Box Shop’s 12-cell macaron tray listing identifies cavity dimensions separately from the overall tray dimensions and states that boxes are separate items. This is a useful specification distinction; its measurements are not TUZHE specifications or a universal fit recommendation.
| Record | Where the measurement belongs | What to attach |
|---|---|---|
| Finished contents | Largest shell span, complete filled thickness and projecting decoration, in the intended orientation | Top and side views with units and variety name |
| Usable position | Narrowest relevant clear space after the insert is assembled, at the level occupied by the macaron | Section or close-up identifying the measuring points |
| Position spacing | Distance between adjacent position centers, distinguished from the clear gap between food items | Numbered layout drawing |
| Tray envelope | Outside dimensions of the assembled tray, including projecting folds or tabs | Tray reference and assembly state |
| Closed headroom | Available space below the sleeve or lid with the tray and liner fitted | Loaded side view and cover reference |
Do not divide the outside length by the portion count
A five-position tray does not necessarily offer one fifth of its outside length to each macaron. End walls and four intervening dividers consume space, and folded dividers may occupy more than a single paper thickness. The supplier’s assembled drawing should show usable positions and their boundaries.
The five-window macaron sleeve design concept illustrates a tray-and-sleeve layout for this discussion. Its AI-generated images explain the intended arrangement; they do not establish internal dimensions or prove a manufactured sample’s fit.
For repeated circular items viewed in plan, center spacing and edge clearance are also different measurements. If the items are the same diameter and perfectly aligned, their clear gap is the center spacing minus that diameter. Once a liner, unequal item size or projecting decoration is present, use the actual occupied outlines. This geometric relationship does not establish a suitable clearance or manufacturing tolerance.
Check the loaded sample without changing the evidence
Record the specimen and drawing revision, load the intended assortment and note which variety occupies each position. Check the end positions as well as the middle. Close the cover through its normal path and observe the first removal with neighboring pieces still present.
Keep an observed interference separate from a proposed correction. If a filling edge meets a divider, identify the position and contact stage before requesting wider cells, lower walls or another orientation. Use the drawer movement guide when the interference occurs during sliding.
Send a measurement brief that can be answered
Include the intended orientation, measured varieties, liner, portion count, occupied dimensions, component list and sample references. Mark unknown fields as questions for the proposal. Avoid copying the outer dimensions from a reference supplier’s product into your own internal-dimension requirement.
The custom packaging brief guide helps organize those inputs; the sample approval record connects the eventual decision to the exact drawing and contents reviewed. Bring that package to the custom packaging discussion. A dimensional fit review describes the sample’s geometry; material suitability and handling performance require their own agreed evidence.