Planning worked example

Lead Time with queue time of 8 hr: a worked example

This worked example runs the lead time numbers for a tougher week than the baseline: queue time of 8 hr instead of the typical 16 hr. Estimate total manufacturing lead time from queue, setup, run, inspection, and move time.

The inputs for this scenario

Queue time: 8 hr (the input this scenario stresses; the baseline uses 16)
Setup time: 2 hr (held at the documented default)
Run quantity: 850 units (held at the documented default)
Cycle time: 38 sec / unit (held at the documented default)
Inspection time: 3 hr (held at the documented default)
Move / wait time: 4 hr (held at the documented default)
Working hours per day: 8 hr / day (held at the documented default)

Working through the calculation

The calculation starts from the formula this tool documents: Run hours = quantity × cycle time ÷ 3,600.
Lead time works out to 3.25 days at these inputs, and this is the headline figure for the scenario.
Total lead time works out to 25.97 hr at these inputs.
Run time works out to 8.97 hr at these inputs.
Queue share works out to 30.8 % at these inputs.

How this compares with the baseline

Against the tool's baseline example, where queue time sits at 16 hr and the headline result is 4.25 days, this scenario comes in 23.55% below the baseline at 3.25 days.
Use it when quoting delivery dates, mapping a value stream, or hunting the biggest non-value-added time in a routing. A result at this level usually justifies acting on the stressed input before touching anything else, because every other figure in the table is downstream of it.

Results at a glance

Lead time: 3.25 days (headline result)
Total lead time: 25.97 hr
Run time: 8.97 hr
Queue share: 30.8 %

Run it with your numbers

To rerun this with your own numbers, open the live Lead Time calculator, set queue time to your actual value, and adjust the remaining inputs to match your operation.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.