Outline

 Queuing Theory
 Characteristics of a Waiting-Line System
 Arrival Characteristics
 Waiting-Line Characteristics
 Service Characteristics
 Measuring a Queue’s Performance
 Queuing Costs
 Queuing Models
 Model A(M/M/1): Single-Channel Queuing Model
with Poisson Arrivals and Exponential Service
Times
 Little’s Law
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 Learning Objectives

1. Describe the characteristics of arrivals,

waiting lines, and service systems
2. Apply the single-channel queuing model
equations
3. Conduct a cost analysis for a waiting
line

2
 Queuing Theory

 The study of waiting lines

 Waiting lines are common
situations
 Useful in both
manufacturing
and service
areas

3
 Common Queuing
Situations
Situation Arrivals in Queue Service Process
Supermarket Grocery shoppers Checkout clerks at cash
register
Highway toll booth Automobiles Collection of tolls at booth
Doctor’s office Patients Treatment by doctors and
nurses
Computer system Programs to be run Computer processes jobs
Telephone company Callers Switching equipment to
forward calls
Bank Customer Transactions handled by teller
Machine Broken machines Repair people fix machines
maintenance
Harbor Ships and barges Dock workers load and unload

Table D.1 4
Characteristics of Waiting-
Line Systems
1. Arrivals or inputs to the system
 Population size, behavior, statistical
distribution

2. Queue discipline, or the waiting line itself

 Limited or unlimited in length, discipline of
people or items in it

3. The service facility

 Design, statistical distribution of service
times

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 Parts of a Waiting Line
Population of Arrivals Queue Service Exit the system
dirty cars from the (waiting line) facility
general
population …
Dave’s
Car Wash

Enter Exit

Arrivals to the system In the system Exit the system

Arrival Characteristics Waiting Line Service Characteristics

 Size of the population Characteristics  Service design
 Behavior of arrivals  Limited vs.  Statistical distribution
 Statistical distribution unlimited of service
of arrivals  Queue discipline
Figure D.1
6
 Arrival Characteristics
1. Size of the population
 Unlimited (infinite) or limited (finite)
2. Pattern of arrivals
 Scheduled or random, often a Poisson
distribution
3. Behavior of arrivals
 Wait in the queue and do not switch lines
 No balking or reneging

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Waiting-Line Characteristics

 Limited or unlimited queue length

 Queue discipline - first-in, first-out
(FIFO) is most common
 Other priority rules may be used in
special circumstances

8
 Service Characteristics
 Queuing system designs
 Single-channel system, multiple-
channel system
 Single-phase system, multiphase
system
 Service time distribution
 Constant service time
 Random service times, usually a
negative exponential distribution

9
 Queuing System Designs
A family dentist’s office

Queue
Service Departures
Arrivals facility after service

Single-channel, single-phase system

A McDonald’s dual window drive-through

Queue
Phase 1 Phase 2 Departures
Arrivals service service
after service
facility facility

Single-channel, multiphase system

Figure D.3

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 Queuing System Designs
Most bank and post office service windows

Service
facility
Channel 1
Queue
Service Departures
Arrivals facility
after service
Channel 2

Service
facility
Channel 3

Multi-channel, single-phase system

Figure D.3

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 Queuing System Designs
Some college registrations

Phase 1 Phase 2
service service
Queue facility facility
Channel 1 Channel 1
Departures
Arrivals after service
Phase 1 Phase 2
service service
facility facility
Channel 2 Channel 2

Multi-channel, multiphase system

Figure D.3

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 Measuring Queue
Performance
1. Average time that each customer or object
spends in the queue
2. Average queue length
3. Average time each customer spends in the
system
4. Average number of customers in the system
5. Probability that the service facility will be idle
6. Utilization factor for the system
7. Probability of a specific number of customers
in the system

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 Queuing Costs
Cost

Minimum
Total Total expected cost
cost
Cost of providing service

Cost of waiting time

Low level Optimal High level

of service service level of service

Figure D.5
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 Queuing Models
Model Name Example
A Single-channel Information counter
system at department store
(M/M/1)

Number Number Arrival Service

of of Rate Time Population Queue
Channels Phases Pattern Pattern Size Discipline
Single Single Poisson Exponential Unlimited FIFO

Table D.2
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 Model A – Single-Channel
1. Arrivals are served on a FIFO basis and
every arrival waits to be served
2. Arrivals are independent of preceding
arrivals
3. Arrivals are random and come from an
infinite population
4. Service times are variable
5. The service rate is faster than the
arrival rate
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 Model A – Single-Channel
 = Mean number of arrivals per time period
µ = Mean number of units served per time period
Ls = Average number of units (customers) in the
system (waiting and being served)
= 
µ–
Ws = Average time a unit spends in the system
(waiting time plus service time)
= 1
µ–
Table D.3

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 Model A – Single-Channel
Lq = Average number of units waiting in the
queue
=  2

µ(µ – )
Wq = Average time a unit spends waiting in the
queue

=
µ(µ – )
 = Utilization factor for the system

=
µ Table D.3

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 Model A – Single-Channel
P0 = Probability of 0 units in the system (that is,
the service unit is idle)

= 1–
µ
Pn > k = Probability of more than k units in the
system, where n is the number of units in
the system
k+1

=
µ

Table D.3

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 Single-Channel Example
 = 2 cars arriving/hour µ = 3 cars serviced/hour
 2
Ls = = = 2 cars in the system on average
µ– 3 - 2

1 1
Ws = = = 1 hour average waiting time in
µ– 3-2
the system

2 22
Lq = = = 1.33 cars waiting in line
µ(µ – ) 3(3 - 2)

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 Single-Channel Example
 = 2 cars arriving/hour µ = 3 cars serviced/hour

 2
Wq = = = 2/3 hour = 40 minute
µ(µ – ) 3(3 - 2)
average waiting time

 = /µ = 2/3 = 66.6% of time mechanic is busy


P0 = 1 - = .33 probability there are 0 cars in the
µ
system

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 Single-Channel Example
Probability of more than k Cars in the System

k Pn > k = (2/3)k + 1
0 .667  Note that this is equal to 1 - P0 = 1 - .33
1 .444
2 .296
3 .198  Implies that there is a 19.8% chance that
more than 3 cars are in the system
4 .132
5 .088
6 .058
7 .039

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Single-Channel Economics
Customer dissatisfaction
and lost goodwill = $10 per hour
Wq = 2/3 hour
Total arrivals = 16 per day
Mechanic’s salary = $56 per day

Total hours
customers spend 2 2
= (16) = 10 hours
waiting per day 3 3
2
Customer waiting-time cost = $10 10 = $106.67
3

Total expected costs = $106.67 + $56 = $162.67

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 In-Class Problems from the
Lecture Guide Practice Problems

Problem 1:
A new shopping mall is considering setting up an information desk manned by
one employee. Based upon information obtained from similar information desks,
it is believed that people will arrive at the desk at a rate of 20 per hour. It takes
an average of 2 minutes to answer a question. It is assumed that the arrivals
follow a Poisson distribution and answer times are exponentially distributed.
(a) Find the probability that the employee is idle.
(b) Find the proportion of the time that the employee is busy.
(c) Find the average number of people receiving and waiting to receive some information.
(d) Find the average number of people waiting in line to get some information.
(e) Find the average time a person seeking information spends in the system.
(f) Find the expected time a person spends just waiting in line to have a question
answered (time in the queue).

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 In-Class Problems from the
Lecture Guide Practice Problems

Problem 2:
Assume that the information desk employee in Problem 1 earns $10 per
hour. The cost of waiting time, in terms of customer unhappiness with
the mall, is $12 per hour of time spent waiting in line. Find the total
expected costs over an 8-hour day.

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