Reveal how much of your total lead time is actually adding value vs sitting in queues, waits and rework — with a clear PCE percentage and a benchmark against world-class lean processes.
Enter your values on the left, then press Calculate.
Value-added time is any activity that physically transforms the product or service in a way the customer would pay for. Inspection, transport, waiting, rework and storage are all non-value-added — even though they may feel necessary.
Most untouched processes run at 1-5% PCE. Lean improvements typically reach 10-25%. World-class continuous-flow operations exceed 25%. Even a 1% PCE means there's enormous room to compress lead time without adding capacity.
The fastest way is not to make value-added work faster — it's to remove non-value-added time. Cut batch sizes, reduce changeovers, eliminate handoffs, and limit WIP. Lead time falls and PCE climbs without changing the work itself.