Identifying and managing equipment within an operational environment

A computer-readable media comprising one or more non-transitory physical computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed at a processor, cause a computer system to perform a method for managing and producing equipment within an operational environment, the method comprising:

• generating an organizational database structure that maintains equipment information associated with at least one container that is part of the operational environment, the organizational database structure including information indicating which of a plurality of packable items are associated with the at least one container;
• accessing the equipment information of the organizational database structure to identify one or more physical operational environment factors, including at least locations, within the operational environment, of the plurality of packable items that are associated with the at least one container;
• evaluating the locations of the plurality of packable items within the operational environment to determine when to cause a packaging material production machine to produce the at least one container from raw or preprocessed cardboard;
• and
• upon determining when the at least one container is to be produced within the operational environment:
• identifying a predicted dimensional size and weight of the at least one container after it has been loaded with the plurality of packable items;
• and
• when a routable cart that comprises a load capacity equal to or greater than the predicted dimensional size and the weight is available:
• producing, with the packaging material production machine, the at least one container and a set of subsequent containers in an order in which they are placed on the routable cart, based on a number of positions for containers on the routable cart and taking box size into account, and
• providing the at least one container and a set of subsequent containers to the routable cart in an order that causes a minimum number of routable carts to occupy an aisle at a time.