diff --git a/cubes.py b/cubes.py
index 8c770c2..44c33fb 100644
--- a/cubes.py
+++ b/cubes.py
@@ -42,13 +42,13 @@ def generate_polycubes(n: int, use_cache: bool = False) -> list[np.ndarray]:
     else:
         pollycubes = generate_polycubes(n-1, use_cache)
 
-        hashes = set()
+        known_ids = set()
         done = 0
         print(f"\nHashing polycubes n={n}")
         for base_cube in pollycubes:
             for new_cube in expand_cube(base_cube):
-                cube_hash = get_canoincal_packing(new_cube, hashes)
-                hashes.add(cube_hash)
+                cube_id = get_canonical_packing(new_cube, known_ids)
+                known_ids.add(cube_id)
             log_if_needed(done, len(pollycubes))
             done += 1
         log_if_needed(done, len(pollycubes))
@@ -56,11 +56,11 @@ def generate_polycubes(n: int, use_cache: bool = False) -> list[np.ndarray]:
         print(f"\nGenerating polycubes from hash n={n}")
         results = []
         done = 0
-        for cube_hash in hashes:
-            results.append(unpack(cube_hash))
-            log_if_needed(done, len(hashes))
+        for cube_id in known_ids:
+            results.append(unpack(cube_id))
+            log_if_needed(done, len(known_ids))
             done += 1
-        log_if_needed(done, len(hashes))
+        log_if_needed(done, len(known_ids))
 
     if (use_cache and not cache_exists(n)):
         save_cache(n, results)
@@ -68,28 +68,32 @@ def generate_polycubes(n: int, use_cache: bool = False) -> list[np.ndarray]:
     return results
 
 
-def get_canoincal_packing(polycube: np.ndarray, known_hashes: set[int]) -> int:
+def get_canonical_packing(polycube: np.ndarray, 
+                          known_ids: set[bytes]) -> bytes:
     """
     Determines if a polycube has already been seen.
 
-    Considers all possible rotations of a cube against the existing cubes stored in memory.
-    Returns True if the cube exists, or False if it is new.
+    Considers all possible rotations of a polycube against the existing 
+        ones stored in memory. Returns the id if it's found in the set,
+        or the maximum id of all rotations if the polycube is new.
 
     Parameters:
-    polycube (np.array): 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate polycube positions
+    polycube (np.array): 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate 
+        cube positions. Must be of type np.int8
+    known_ids (set[bytes]): A set of all known polycube ids
 
     Returns:
-    hash: the hash for this cube
+    cube_id (bytes): the id for this cube
 
     """
-    max_hash = 0
+    max_id = b'\x00'
     for cube_rotation in all_rotations(polycube):
-        this_hash = pack(cube_rotation)
-        if(this_hash in known_hashes):
-            return this_hash
-        if (this_hash > max_hash):
-            max_hash = this_hash
-    return max_hash
+        this_id = pack(cube_rotation)
+        if (this_id in known_ids):
+            return this_id
+        if (this_id > max_id):
+            max_id = this_id
+    return max_id
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/libraries/packing.py b/libraries/packing.py
index f4fb6e5..9fd39ad 100644
--- a/libraries/packing.py
+++ b/libraries/packing.py
@@ -2,20 +2,22 @@
 import math
 
 
-def pack(polycube: np.ndarray) -> int:
+def pack(polycube: np.ndarray) -> bytes:
     """
-    Converts a 3D ndarray into a single unsigned integer for quick hashing and efficient storage
-
-    Converts a {0,1} nd array into a single unique large integer
+    Converts a 3D ndarray into a single bytes object that unique identifies 
+    the polycube, is hashable, comparable, and allows to reconstruct the 
+    original polycube ndarray.
 
     Parameters:
-    polycube (np.array): 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate polycube positions
+    polycube (np.array): 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate polycube positions,
+        and 0 values indicate empty space. Must be of type np.int8.
 
     Returns:
-    int: a unique integer hash
+    cube_id (bytes): a bytes representation of the polycube
 
     """
 
+    # # Previous implementation:
     # pack_cube = np.packbits(polycube.flatten(), bitorder='big')
     # cube_hash = 0
     # for index in polycube.shape:
@@ -24,31 +26,34 @@ def pack(polycube: np.ndarray) -> int:
     #     cube_hash = (cube_hash << 8) + int(part)
     # return cube_hash
 
-    data = polycube.tobytes() + polycube.shape[0].to_bytes(1, 'big') + polycube.shape[1].to_bytes(1, 'big') + polycube.shape[2].to_bytes(1, 'big')
-    return int.from_bytes(data, 'big')
+    # # dtype should be np.int8: (commented out for efficiency)
+    # if polycube.dtype != np.int8:
+    #     raise TypeError("Polycube must be of type np.int8")
 
+    # pack cube
+    data = polycube.tobytes() + polycube.shape[0].to_bytes(1, 'big') \
+                              + polycube.shape[1].to_bytes(1, 'big') \
+                              + polycube.shape[2].to_bytes(1, 'big')
+    return data
 
-def unpack(cube_hash: int) -> np.ndarray:
-    """
-    Converts a single integer back into a 3D ndarray
 
+def unpack(cube_id: bytes) -> np.ndarray:
+    """
+    Converts a bytes object back into a 3D ndarray
 
     Parameters:
-    cube_hash (int): a unique integer hash
+    cube_id (bytes): a unique bytes object
 
     Returns:
-    np.array: 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate polycube positions
-
+    polycube (np.array): 3D Numpy byte array where 1 values indicate 
+        cube positions
+        
     """
+    # Extract shape information
+    shape = (cube_id[-3], cube_id[-2], cube_id[-1])
+
+    # Create ndarray from byte data
+    polycube = np.frombuffer(cube_id[:-3], dtype=np.int8)
+    polycube = polycube.reshape(shape)
+    return polycube
 
-    length = math.ceil(math.log2(cube_hash))
-    parts = cube_hash.to_bytes(length, byteorder='big')
-    shape = (
-        parts[-3],
-        parts[-2],
-        parts[-1],
-    )
-    size = shape[0] * shape[1] * shape[2]
-    raw = np.frombuffer(parts[:-3], dtype=np.uint8)
-    final = raw[(len(raw) - size):len(raw)].reshape(shape)
-    return final