Queueing Theory
Queueing Theory
Queueing Theory
Introduction
Queues (or waiting lines) is a common phenomenon in our everyday life. Queues are formed at the bus stands, traffic signals, telephone booths, enquiry windows, reservation counters, bank and post office counters. Queues are also formed in industrial units. For example :- Wait at the tool crib to obtain tools.
Introduction 02
Queues need not be a physical line of customers It may be merely a list of customers, units, orders etc. Examples : Unconnected Telephone calls Waiting list of passengers for a berth Unscheduled orders in PPC dept Untyped bunch of papers with typist
Introduction ..3
In manufacturing excessive waiting time of WIP ( work in process) will mean longer manufacturing cycle , that is longer deliveries and higher investment in WIP, Idle time of workers, production loss etc.
Introduction 4
Queues are formed when the current demand for a given service exceeds the capacity of the service facility to render service. One can shorten queues or prevent queues by employing additional service facilities but they may not be always desirable. The cost of additional service facilities reduces margin of profit while excessive waiting time results in loss of sale/loss of customers. Queuing theory gives mathematical treatment to waiting line problems It helps to strike an optimum balance between cost associated with waiting and cost associated with prevention of waiting.
Optimum balance may be arrived at either by : Introducing more facilities at extra cost or Displacing less efficient service facilities by more efficient one or Changing the pattern of arrival of customers for service or Effective method improvements to reduce service time.
(Customers)
Waiting Line (Queue) Output (Customers)
i) Input process
i) Input process :Arrival distribution Inter arrival distribution Mean arrival rate ( i.e. the average no. of arrivals per unit time) represented by (Lambda) Mean Time between consecutive arrivals (i.e. time elapsed between first arrival and the next). This equals 1/
V) Service facility
Service facility represents servers clerks, maintenance crew, machines which render service. To analyse a service facility both, number of servers and arrangement of servers ( in parallel or in series etc) need to be considered. There can be
Single queue :- single server. Single queue :-multiple servers ( series arrangement) Single queue :-multiple servers (parallel arrangement) Multiple queue :-multiple servers