Queuing Theory

(Waiting Line Model)

Dr. T. T. Kachwala

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Queuing Theory (Waiting Line Model)

Definitions
A single channel Queuing system is characterized by a single Queue and a single Server Following is a schematic diagram of Single Channel Queuing System

Customer

Server

Customers in Queue

Customer getting service

Queue is an aggregation or collection of a set of discreet items that wants to

avail the services of a Queuing system, i.e., Queue is a collection of customers

Customer is a discreet item that wants to avail the services of the Queuing
system

Server is a discreet item that provides the services in the Queuing system

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Queuing Theory (Waiting Line Model)

Basic Concepts

A customer is said to be a part of the queuing system if he is either waiting in the queue or is being served If the average arrival rate of the customer exceeds the average service rate of the server, a queue is formed In any application of queuing theory the time spent waiting is undesirable, however, adding more servers is not always the most economical strategy for improving service. So business needs to determine ways to keep waiting time within tolerable limits. Waiting line models or queuing theory have been developed to help managers understand and make better decisions concerning the operations of waiting lines. They consist of mathematical formulae and relationships that can be used to determine the operating characteristics (performance measures) for a waiting line which are based on certain assumptions.

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Examples of Single Channel Queuing System

1. Letters waiting to be typed by a secretary

2. Machines awaiting repair by a mechanic

3. Product waiting for next operation in batch production

4. Customer waiting for a teller at a local bank

5. Patients waiting for a doctor at a dispensary

6. Cars waiting for a petrol fill at a petrol pump station

7. Aircraft waiting for the runway at the airport

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Assumptions of Single Channel Queuing System (M/M/1)

1. Arrival of the customers are assumed to be Poisson distributed. 2. Service rate of the server is assumed to be negative exponentially distributed. 3. There is a single server in the system. 4. Customers observe a single queue

5. Queue discipline is First Come First Serve (FCFS)

Explanation of M/M/1 M/M/1 is Kendals notation for Waiting Line Model. It simply means that the arrival of the customer is Poisson distributed, service rate of the server is negative exponentially distributed and there is single server in the system.

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Characteristics of Single Channel Queuing System (M/M/1)

Arrival of the customer in the system is Poisson distributed

with the average arrival rate l

The reciprocal

1 is the average inter-arrival time l

Service rate of the server is negative exponentially distributed

with the average service rate m

1 The reciprocal is the average service time m

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Characteristics of Single Channel Queuing System (M/M/1)

1. Traffic Intensity : It is the ratio of the average arrival rate to the average service rate average arrival rate Traffic Intensity average service rate 2. Probability of obtaining ' n' number of Customers 3. Probability of obtaining zero number of Customers Pn P0
n

P0

4. Average number of Customers in the system L

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Characteristics of Single Channel Queuing System (M/M/1)

5. Average number of Customers in the Queue Lq L Lq

6. Average time a customer spends in the Queue Wq

7. Average time a customer spends in the system W

Wq

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