Queueing/Waiting Line

Definition

A queue is a waiting line (like customers waiting at a supermarket
checkout counter); queueing theory is the mathematical theory of
waiting lines.
More generally, queueing theory is concerned with the mathematical
modeling and analysis of systems that provide service to random
demands.
Queueing/Waiting Line
Assembly lines
Production lines
Trucks waiting to unload or load
Workers waiting for parts
Customers waiting for products
Broken equipment waiting to be fixed
Customers waiting for service


Queueing/Waiting Line
The reasons we analyse waiting lines are:
Lines cost a business money.
The resources in a line (people and/or material) are idle and
thus unproductive.
The resources needed to process/service a line (cashiers,
dock workers, equipment, etc.) cost a business money.
There is an ideal length for a line that minimises the total
cost of the line.
No line is wasteful of the resources being used to process
lines.


Queueing/Waiting Line
The costs of waiting in line
Paying idle employees while they are in line waiting for
something they need. (waiting for parts, supplies, etc.)
Unusable equipment awaiting repairs
Losing customers because of long lines
Reneging: Customers get tired of waiting and leave
Balking: Customers see a long line and dont get in
line.
The cost of providing service to the line
Paying people who are servicing the customers.
Customers can be people, machines, or other objects
needing service.
Queueing/Waiting Line
Examples of costs associated with waiting lines are:
Paying repairmen to fix broken machines
Paying workers to load and unload trucks
Paying customer-service people
Using extra production people to speed up a line
Leasing service equipment and facilities
Paying cashiers/tellers

Queueing/Waiting Line
Queueing moels should inform us of:
Average number of customers in line.
Average time in line for a customer.
Average number of customers in the system at any time. (In
line and being served.)
Average time in the system for a customer.
Probability of n number of customers in the system at any
given time.
NOTE: In The System includes customers who are waiting
plus and the customers being served

Queueing/Waiting Line
Calculating Estimated Customers in Line

If the arrival rate and the processing rate are known, then
the number of customers in a single waiting line by one
workstation can be estimated using the following formula:




= arrival rate
= service rate
) (
2

w
C
Queueing/Waiting Line
Wait Times
The average waiting time for a customer in line with one
workstation can be estimated by knowing the arrival rate and
the processing time according to the following formula:



= arrival rate
= service rate

) (

w
T
Queueing/Waiting Line
= 2 cars arriving/hour = 3 cars serviced/hour
T
W
= = = 2 cars in the system on average

C
W
= = = 1.33 cars waiting in line

2

( )


2
3 - 2
2
2

3(3 - 2)