Chapter 1 Outline

A. Elements and Characteristics of a Queuing

System

B. Queuing Models
1. Single-Server Models
2. Multiple-Server Models
3. Constant Service Time Models
4. Finite Population Models

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Chapter 1
Queuing Theory
B. Queuing Models

Identifying Queue Characteristics using

Kendall Notation

n D. G. Kendalls notation specifying a queue

characteristics is

v/w/x/y/z
where,
v the arrival pattern
w the service pattern
x the number of available servers
y the systems capacity
z the queue discipline

Identifying Queue Characteristics using

Kendall Notation

n Various notations used for three of the

components are listed below. If y or z is not

specified it is taken to be or FIFO respectively

Queue Characteristic

Symbol

Meaning

Interarrival time
or
Service time

D
M
E
G

Deterministic
Exponential / Poisson distribution
Erlang type-k distribution
Gaussian / Normal distribution

Queue discipline

FIFO
LIFO
SIRO
PRIO

First In First Out

Last In First Out
Service In Random Order
Priority Ordering

Identifying Queue Characteristics using

Kendall Notation

n An M / D / 2 / 5 / LIFO system has Poisson

distributed interarrival times, deterministic

service times, two servers, and a limit of five
customers allowed into the service facility at any
one time, with the last customer to arrive being
the next customer to go into the service.

n A D / D / 1 system has both deterministic

interarrival times and service times, and only one

server. Since the system capacity and queue
discipline are not specified, they are assumed to
be infinite and FIFO, respectively.

Single-Channel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/1)
Assumptions of the model:
n Arrivals are served on a FIFO basis.
n There is no balking or reneging.
n Arrivals are independent of each other but the

arrival rate is constant over time.

n Arrivals follow a Poisson distribution.
n Service times are variable and independent but
the average is known.
n Service times follow a negative exponential
distribution.
n Average service rate is greater than the average
arrival rate.
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Single-Channel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/1)
n When these assumptions are met, we

can develop a series of equations

that define the queues operating
characteristics.

n Queuing Equations:
Let

= mean number of arrivals per time period

= mean number of customers or units
served per time period
The arrival rate and the service rate must be
defined for the same time period.
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Single-Channel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/1)
1. The average number of customers or units in the
system, L:

L=

2. The average time a customer spends in the

system, W:
1
W=

3. The average number of customers in the queue, Lq:

2
Lq =
( )
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Single-Channel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/1)
4. The average time a customer spends waiting in
the queue, Wq:

Wq =
( )

5. The utilization factor for the system, , the

probability the service facility is being used:

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Single-Channel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/1)
6. The percent idle time, P0, or the probability no one
is in the system:

P0 = 1

7. The probability that the number of customers in

the system is greater than k, Pn>k:

Pn> k

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k +1

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Arnolds Muffler Shop

n Arnolds mechanic can install mufflers at a rate of

3 per hour.
n Customers arrive at a rate of 2 per hour.
n So:
= 2 cars arriving per hour
= 3 cars serviced per hour

2
2
L=
=
= = 2 cars in the system
32 1
on average

1
1
W=
=
32
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= 1 hour that an average car

spends in the system
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

2
22
4
Lq =
=
=
= 1.33 cars waiting in line
( ) 3(3 2) 3(1)
on average

2
Wq =
= hour
( ) 3

= 40 minutes average
waiting time per car

2
= = = 0.67
3

= percentage of time
mechanic is busy

2
P0 = 1 = 1 = 0.33

= probability that there

are 0 cars in the system

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Arnolds Muffler Shop

Probability of more than k cars in the system
k

Pn>k = (2/3)k+1

0.667

0.444

0.296

0.198

0.132

0.088

0.058

0.039

Note that this is equal to 1 P0 = 1 0.33 = 0.667

Implies that there is a 19.8% chance that more

than 3 cars are in the system

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Excel QM Solution to Arnolds

Muffler Example

Program 13.1
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

n Introducing costs into the model:
n Arnold wants to do an economic analysis of
the queuing system and determine the waiting
cost and service cost.
n The total service cost is:

Total
(Number of channels)
=
service cost
x (Cost per channel)
Total
service cost = mCs

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Arnolds Muffler Shop

Waiting cost when the cost is based on time in the
system:
Total
(Total time spent waiting by all
=
waiting cost
arrivals) x (Cost of waiting)
(Number of arrivals) x
= (Average wait per arrival)C
w
Total
= (W)Cw
waiting cost
If waiting time cost is based on time in the queue:
Total
= (Wq)Cw
waiting cost
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

So the total cost of the queuing system when based
on time in the system is:
Total cost = Total service cost + Total waiting cost
Total cost = mCs + WCw
And when based on time in the queue:
Total cost = mCs + WqCw

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Arnolds Muffler Shop

n Arnold estimates the cost of customer waiting

time in line is $50 per hour.

Total daily
waiting cost = (8 hours per day)WqCw
= (8)(2)(2/3)($50) = $533.33

n Arnold has identified the mechanics wage $7 per

hour as the service cost.

Total daily
service cost = (8 hours per day)mCs
= (8)(1)($15) = $120

n So the total cost of the system is:

Total daily cost of

the queuing system = $533.33 + $120 = $653.33
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

n Arnold is thinking about hiring a different

mechanic who can install mufflers at a faster rate.

n The new operating characteristics would be:
= 2 cars arriving per hour
= 4 cars serviced per hour

2
2
L=
=
= = 1 car in the system
42 2
on the average

W=

1
1
=
42

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= 1/2 hour that an average car

spends in the system
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

2
22
4
Lq =
=
=
= 1/2 car waiting in line
( ) 4( 4 2) 8(1)
on the average

1
Wq =
= hour
( ) 4

= 15 minutes average
waiting time per car

2
= = = 0.5
4

= percentage of time
mechanic is busy

2
P0 = 1 = 1 = 0.5

= probability that there

are 0 cars in the system

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Arnolds Muffler Shop

Probability of more than k cars in the system
k

Pn>k = (2/4)k+1

0.500

0.250

0.125

0.062

0.031

0.016

0.008

0.004

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Arnolds Muffler Shop Case

n The customer waiting cost is the same $50 per

hour:
Total daily
waiting cost = (8 hours per day)WqCw
= (8)(2)(1/4)($50) = $200.00

n The new mechanic is more expensive at $20 per

hour:
Total daily
service cost = (8 hours per day)mCs
= (8)(1)($20) = $160

n So the total cost of the system is:

Total daily cost of

the queuing system = $200 + $160 = $360
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Arnolds Muffler Shop

n The total time spent waiting for the 16 customers

per day was formerly:

(16 cars per day) x (2/3 hour per car) = 10.67 hours
n It is now is now:

(16 cars per day) x (1/4 hour per car) = 4 hours

n The total daily system costs are less with the new

mechanic resulting in significant savings:

$653.33 $360 = $293.33

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Enhancing the Queuing Environment

n Reducing waiting time is not the only way

to reduce waiting cost.

n Reducing the unit waiting cost (Cw) will
also reduce total waiting cost.
n This might be less expensive to achieve
than reducing either W or Wq.

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Multichannel Queuing Model with Poisson

Arrivals and Exponential Service Times (M/M/
m)
Assumptions of the model:
n Arrivals are served on a FIFO basis.
n There is no balking or reneging.
n Arrivals are independent of each other but the

arrival rate is constant over time.

n Arrivals follow a Poisson distribution.
n Service times are variable and independent but
the average is known.
n Service times follow a negative exponential
distribution.
n The average service rate is greater than the
average arrival rate.
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Multichannel Queuing Model with Poisson

Arrivals and Exponential Service Times (M/M/m)
n Equations for the multichannel queuing model:
n Let

m = number of channels open

= average arrival rate
= average service rate at each channel
1. The probability that there are zero customers in
the system is:

P0 =

n = m 1

n=0

1

n!

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1
m
+
m! m

for m >

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Multichannel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/m)
2. The average number of customers or units in the
system
( / )m

L=
P
+
0
( m 1)! ( m )2

3. The average time a unit spends in the waiting line or

being served, in the system

( / )m
1 L
W =
P
+
=
2 0
( m 1)! ( m )

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Multichannel Model, Poisson Arrivals,

Exponential Service Times (M/M/m)
4. The average number of customers or units in line
waiting for service

Lq = L

5. The average number of customers or units in line

waiting for service
1 Lq
Wq = W =

6. The average number of customers or units in line

waiting for service

=
m
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Arnolds Muffler Shop Revisited

n Arnold wants to investigate opening a second

garage bay.
n He would hire a second worker who works at the
same rate as his first worker.
n The customer arrival rate remains the same.
P0 =

P0 =

n = m 1

n =0

1

n!

1
m
+

m! m

1
1

1 2

n =0 n! 3

1 2 2(3)
+
2! 3 2(3) 2

for m >

= 0.5

= probability of 0 cars in the system

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Arnolds Muffler Shop Revisited

n Average number of cars in the system

( / ) m

L=
P+
2 0
(m 1)!(m )

2(3)(2 / 3) 2 1 2
L=
( ) + = 0.75
2
(1)![2(3) 2] 2 3
n Average time a car spends in the system

3
W = = hour = 22 1 minutes
2
8
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Arnolds Muffler Shop Revisited

n Average number of cars in the queue

3 2 1
Lq = L = =
= 0.083
4 3 12
n Average time a car spends in the queue

Wq = W

Lq

0.083
= 0.0415 hour = 2 1 minutes
2
2

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Arnolds Muffler Shop Revisited

n Adding the second service bay reduces the

waiting time in line but will increase the service

cost as a second mechanic needs to be hired.
Total daily waiting cost = (8 hours per day)WqCw
= (8)(2)(0.0415)($50) = $33.20
Total daily service cost = (8 hours per day)mCs
= (8)(2)($15) = $240

n So the total cost of the system is

Total system cost = $33.20 + $240 = $273.20

n This is the cheapest option: open the second bay

and hire a second worker at the same $15 rate.

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Effect of Service Level on Arnolds

Operating Characteristics
LEVEL OF SERVICE
OPERATING
CHARACTERISTIC

ONE
MECHANIC
=3

TWO
MECHANICS
= 3 FOR BOTH

ONE FAST
MECHANIC
=4

Probability that the system

is empty (P0)

0.33

0.50

0.50

Average number of cars in

the system (L)

2 cars

0.75 cars

1 car

Average time spent in the

system (W)

60 minutes

22.5 minutes

30 minutes

Average number of cars in

the queue (Lq)

1.33 cars

0.083 car

0.50 car

Average time spent in the

queue (Wq)

40 minutes

2.5 minutes

15 minutes

Table 13.2
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Excel QM Solution to Arnolds

Muffler Multichannel Example

Program 13.2

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13-34

Constant Service Time Model (M/D/1)

n Constant service times are used when

customers or units are processed

according to a fixed cycle.
n The values for Lq, Wq, L, and W are always
less than they would be for models with
variable service time.
n In fact both average queue length and
average waiting time are halved in
constant service rate models.

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13-35

Constant Service Time Model (M/D/1)

1. Average length of the queue

2
Lq =
2 ( )
2. Average waiting time in the queue

Wq =

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2 ( )

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Constant Service Time Model (M/D/1)

3. Average number of customers in the system

L = Lq +

4. Average time in the system

W = Wq +

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Garcia-Golding Recycling, Inc.

n The company collects and compacts

aluminum cans and glass bottles.

n Trucks arrive at an average rate of 8 per hour
(Poisson distribution).
n Truck drivers wait about 15 minutes before
they empty their load.
n Drivers and trucks cost $60 per hour.
n A new automated machine can process
truckloads at a constant rate of 12 per hour.
n A new compactor would be amortized at $3
per truck unloaded.
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Constant Service Time Model (M/D/1)

Analysis of cost versus benefit of the purchase
Current waiting cost/trip = (1/4 hour waiting time)($60/hour cost)
= $15/trip
New system: = 8 trucks/hour arriving
= 12 trucks/hour served
Average waiting
time in queue = Wq = 1/12 hour
Waiting cost/trip
with new compactor = (1/12 hour wait)($60/hour cost) = $5/trip
Savings with
new equipment = $15 (current system) $5 (new system)
= $10 per trip
Cost of new equipment
amortized = $3/trip
Net savings = $7/trip
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13-39

Excel QM Solution for Constant Service

Time Model with Garcia-Golding Recycling
Example

Program 13.3
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Finite Population Model

(M/M/1 with Finite Source)
n When the population of potential customers is

limited, the models are different.

n There is now a dependent relationship between
the length of the queue and the arrival rate.
n The model has the following assumptions:
1. There is only one server.
2. The population of units seeking service is
finite.
3. Arrivals follow a Poisson distribution and
service times are exponentially distributed.
4. Customers are served on a first-come, firstserved basis.
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13-41

Finite Population Model

(M/M/1 with Finite Source)
Equations for the finite population model:
Using = mean arrival rate, = mean service
rate, and N = size of the population, the
operating characteristics are:
1. Probability that the system is empty:

P0 =

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1
N

N!

n = 0 ( N n )!

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Finite Population Model

(M/M/1 with Finite Source)
2. Average length of the queue:

+
Lq = N
(1 P0 )

3. Average number of customers (units) in the system:

L = Lq + (1 P0 )
4. Average waiting time in the queue:

Wq =
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Lq
( N L)
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Finite Population Model

(M/M/1 with Finite Source)
5. Average time in the system:

W = Wq +

6. Probability of n units in the system:

n

N!
Pn =
P0 for n = 0,1,..., N
( N n)!

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13-44

Department of Commerce
n The Department of Commerce has five printers

that each need repair after about 20 hours of work.

n Breakdowns will follow a Poisson distribution.
n The technician can service a printer in an average
of about 2 hours, following an exponential
distribution.
n Therefore:
= 1/20 = 0.05 printer/hour
= 1/2 = 0.50 printer/hour

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Department of Commerce Example

1.

P0 =

1
5

5! 0.05

n = 0 (5 n )! 0.5

= 0.564

2.

0.05 + 0.5
Lq = 5
(1 P0 ) = 0.2 printer
0.05

3.

L = 0.2 + (1 0.564 ) = 0.64 printer

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Department of Commerce Example

4.

0.2
0.2
Wq =
=
= 0.91 hour
(5 0.64)(0.05 ) 0.22

1
W = 0.91+
= 2.91 hours
0.50

5.

If printer downtime costs $120 per hour and the

technician is paid $25 per hour, the total cost is:
Total
hourly
cost

(Average number of printers down)

(Cost per downtime hour)
+ Cost per technician hour

= (0.64)($120) + $25 = $101.80

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13-47

Excel QM For Finite Population Model with

Department of Commerce Example

Program 13.4
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13-48

Some General Operating

Characteristic Relationships
n Certain relationships exist among specific

operating characteristics for any queuing system

in a steady state.
n A steady state condition exists when a system is
in its normal stabilized condition, usually after an
initial transient state.
n The first of these are referred to as Littles Flow
Equations:
L = W
Lq = Wq

(or W = L/)
(or Wq = Lq/)

n And

W = Wq + 1/
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More Complex Queuing Models and

the Use of Simulation
n In the real world there are often variations from

basic queuing models.

n Computer simulation can be used to solve these
more complex problems.
n Simulation allows the analysis of controllable
factors.
n Simulation should be used when standard
queuing models provide only a poor
approximation of the actual service system.

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