The Use of Closed Queues in the Deployment of Coal-Face Machinery

Abstract

Expensive coal-face machinery is deployed to collieries from centralized pools. This paper describes a study of the deployment cycle of such equipment to determine what scope for improvement existed. A queueing model was used to establish the main factors affecting the system and this model enabled broad operating principles to be established. Further analysis was done using a simulation model, the salient features of which are described. The paper goes on to describe how the simulation model was used to lead to the conclusion that the complexity of the deployment cycle could be reduced to the consideration of two simple parameters.