LESSON 5: QUEUES
AND SIMULATION
Managers can shorten
queues but only by
using more servers,
and this means higher
costs.
Queuing problems are notoriously difficult,
so analytical solutions are available only for
relatively small problems. Simulation gives a
more robust method of tackling bigger and
more complex problems by imitating the
operations of a system over a typical period.
Feature of Queues
❖ A queue forms whenever a customer arrives at a server and finds that the server is
already busy. In practice queues occur in many situations, not all of which involve
people.
❖ For any given situation the queue length depends on the number of servers.
➢ More servers reduce waiting time and increase customer service – but
incur higher costs
➢ Managers look for a balance between service level and costs.
Different configurations of queues, with
variations including:
▪ The number of servers may vary from one to a very large number
▪ Customers may arrive singly or in batches
• for example, when a bus-load of people arrive at a restaurant
▪ Arrivals may be at random, following some probability distribution, or organized
through an appointment system
▪ Customers may form a single queue or a separate queue for each server
▪ Customers may be served individually or in batches
• for example, at an airport customers are served a plane-load at a time
▪ Servers may be in parallel – where each does the same job or in series –
where each gives part of the service and then passes the customer on to the
next stage
▪ Service time may be constant or variable
▪ Customers may be served in order of arrival or in some other order
• for example, hospitals admit patients in order of urgency
The length of a queue depends on three
factors:
• The rate at which • The time taken to serve • The number of servers
each customer available.
customers arrive
Single-server queues
The simplest queue has a single server with random arrivals and service times. We can
calculate the operating characteristics of such systems in terms of mean queue length,
time in the system, probability of having to queue etc.
The simplest type of queue has:
✓A single server dealing with a queue of customers
✓Random arrival of customers joining a queue
✓All customers waiting to be served in first-come-first-served order
✓Random service time
Simulation models
❖Simulation gives an alternative way of
tackling complex problems. Rather than
solve a series of equations, it duplicates
the operations over some period,
producing a typical – but artificial – set
of results.
Managers want to answer a series of questions
about this system:
How much space Are there any
should they leave How long will each unit What is the utilization of
stay in the system? equipment? bottlenecks?
for the queue
between the
inspection and
the next
operations?
Monte Carlo Simulation
❖It is a model used to predict the Monte Carlo Analysis in Project Management
probability of different outcomes when
the intervention of random variables is
present. This simulation includes
variability and uncertainty, which it
achieves by using random numbers.
o Simulation involves a lot of repetitive
calculations so it is always done on a
computer. The easiest way to organize
this in practice is usually with a
specialized simulation package.