Title: Designing production and service systems using queuing theory: principles and application to an airport passenger security screening system

Authors: A. Regattieri, R. Gamberini, F. Lolli, R. Manzini

Addresses: DIEM – Department of Industrial and Mechanical Plants, Bologna University, Viale Risorgimento, 2, Bologna 40136, Italy. ' DISMI – Department of Engineering Sciences and Methods, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola, 2, Reggio Emilia 42100, Italy. ' DISMI – Department of Engineering Sciences and Methods, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Via Amendola, 2, Reggio Emilia 42100, Italy. ' DIEM – Department of Industrial and Mechanical Plants, Bologna University, Viale Risorgimento, 2, Bologna 40136, Italy

Abstract: Queues of people, products and machines frequently occur in many production and service systems, resulting in significant inefficiencies. This paper discusses the significant impact on these problems of the queuing theory introduced by Erlang and Kendall. A methodology based on the M/M/m queuing model (including a validation phase through a goodness-of-fit test) is proposed. This methodology makes parametric analyses of system performance according to the different possible ranges of input parameters. It helps solve several typical problems found in production systems (e.g., resource design, traffic and logistics analysis) and services (e.g., optimal design and management). There is a good tradeoff between the robustness of the results, coherence with real industrial systems and mathematical complexity. A real-world application involving the design optimisation of a passenger security screening system in an international airport is presented. In particular, the optimal number of security gates in the design is discussed.

Keywords: production systems; service systems; operations management; optimal design; queuing theory; security screening systems; system design; airport passengers; passenger security; passenger screening; airport security; security gates.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSOM.2010.030636

International Journal of Services and Operations Management, 2010 Vol.6 No.2, pp.206 - 225

Published online: 27 Dec 2009 *

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