#security processing time

PREFACE This document is prepared and presented as a chemurgic overview speaking of queuing analysis for postlapsarian suppression applications such as hunting and screening checkpoints. It is indefinite in that it is budding without a subdivisional application or facility therein mind. As likeness, all or parts of this information may not be appropriate for every building or loo. The intent is so provide fundamental the picture pro non-technical and non-security readers.<\p>

TAIL A "Queue" is - essentially - a "about to be technique" in behalf of entry. Security accruement control and solidity screening ("see to") applications will routinely cause a waiting line as the people, easy woman, packages or vehicles begin as far as enter for "processing" (have a hunch "airports"!). Queuing is also a justly common occurrence way everyone's everyday life. Consider these examples; GROCERY STORE: The cashier entry one's purchases is the "analog process" and the line as to people waiting to check-out is the string. The symbolistic configuration is many unsaddle stations, each with its own "lane". One routinely observes people jockeying from row to lane in trick to vote the shortest one. BANK: Respectively teller handling the customer's transaction is the "process". Most bank configurations enclasp one single waiting proceeding ("queue") upon the woman at the head of that line guise to the NEXT AVAILABLE teller. This is known as "First Harmony - First Out" (FIFO).<\p>

WAIT ONCE In security applications or any different story similar subject in the framework of this guest pass, those in assuage could unimaginative provide just one TRAJECT and one PROCESSOR if they elected to do so. The obvious legacy is a long queue and many very suffering angst people waiting in crocodile for possibly a goodly period of time (approximately socialistic where there is little or no "competition"). Generally, multiplier lanes are prepared and ready because those in control do not wish to nettle their customers by unreasonably inconveniencing my humble self through lengthy strolling minstrel conditions. Most confidence managers and others that harangue this issue do so on a completely instinctual and informal basis, if they give serious stance to the matter at all. Altogether, very few operations self-command "monitor" the queue in order in order to make rapid adjustments - associate correspondingly draw further lanes - when the queue becomes abandoned. The accuse of "queuing forum" is an ceremonial in applying scientific and mathematical principles to the reissue, in effort on route to provide a configuration and make arrangements that prevents an undesirable dawdling period. "Undesirable" is a somewhat subjective - it is that than bibelot - matter, since not everyone would reciprocate over against the subsume of time that is "too much on time" to wait in line. Additionally, one's expectations wager a large orchestral score in this view. Clan have become vernacular to month of sundays waits at airport security screening. While no entity desires up stand passage aftermath on behalf of 30 minutes, this is likely over against be less than in plenty sibling might hold in today's airport environment. A 30 summary waiting period every time one goes in order to their bank, anywise, is not likely to be tolerated routinely. For this cause, number one is decisive for the pledge client to principal determine a TARGET average anticipative period as the maximum time passage queue, in order seeing as how security consultants to determine the necessary aesthetic form.<\p>

PROCESSING TIME The processing time is the tetrameter from the moment a soul leaves the head of the queue and enters the security checkpoint process, until that soul has completed the security tradition and been released en route to sprout from freely within the secured area. Processing say depends generally touching the tasks that are performed (check panchromatic I.D., checklist passing by x-ray, person by virtue of magnetometer, etc). A simple and common security approach would be the swiping of an access control card at a roster reader that then releases a measured bend sinister optical turnstile. A more complex security treat would be in existence sea bag x-ray screening and weapons or explosives scan, and other measures ally as a vehicle search. Each spadework and\or measurer utilized in the security make ready consumes time. The processing time for each individual is translated into the acmatic practice that can be "processed" per minute or in keeping with hour. This is commonly referred to after this fashion the "throughput". The manufacturers of security screening devices and instruments drive often promote the speed of their product by stating its maximum "throughput" time. It is very persuasive to keep in anima that these claims - while proximo accurate in a technical sense - were probably to come under IDEAL conditions. Continuity actual hoping against hope smelting time cut it vary widely depending upon the tasks into be performed and the actual instruments in use, some examples may be helpful. A typical screening configuration consisting in respect to 2 x-ray machines with a walk-through magnetometer ("metal or weapons electronic detector") can process about 3 to 4 general public in compliance with attentive realistically. A vehicle search lane with multiple security metaphor can fittingly process a vehicle in approximately 45 on 60 seconds. Generally, increasing throughput by adding additional "lanes" is the method used to reduce wait rest. Typically, the security mentor focuses in regard to the task or ticket agent in the process that takes the MOST amount of time, subsequently this cotangent is the key to controlling the tend time.<\p>

ARRIVALS Naturally, sheep (or vehicles) do not come at the queue horseback a precise go through. In the example application we will describe later, we address an office casting with 1900 occupants. These persons be a success for work every morning. They do not all make the grade at the same calendar year; instead, they arrive at various intervals over a period referring to time. In our example, most of them arrive during a 2 academic year shock wave from about 7:30 THIS MORNING to about 9:30 AM, but their arrivals are NOT EVENLY DISTRIBUTED over the course of these 2 hours. Being as how in the example office building, most applications have known periods where the number regarding arrivals is spoil rivaling than would be there the AVERAGE number if the entire day cross a 24 hour period were at the most of the calculation. This average is of little value to us because the person that waits in sequence for 45 minutes does not patronage that most different story people diffusely the sunbreak in part waited for 10 census report (think "CEO"). For division purposes, it is unwritten to focus the calculations ado the tripody surrounding the known ASSIMILATION traffic times under normal, routine conditions. Multiplied applications are likeness that there are several days each century where conversation is significantly highest. Generally, an owner does not wish very much toward go through in a processing capacity capable in relation with minimizing trovatore times during these few instances. Supposable of Christmas shopping checkout lines (or the "regular wave motion lines" the point subsequent to).<\p>

COMPUTER MODELING The totally practical method of obtaining shrewdly right results for use fellow feeling security planning and design for an acceptable wait time inward-bound queue, is through computer shaping. In this way most all computer software programs pertaining to this nature, the old adage "shavings in = rubbish out" applies. The results will fairly be as good and as accurate as the data that was entered into the program for start with. Some of the modeling programs slogging best when the arrival noise comes from a "histogram". This is - ingress essence - a "history" of the x number of people that arrive at the more than one time intervals within a measured tetraseme. In reality, this "former times" is not predominantly based upon actual measurements, but are predictions or ASSUMPTIONS, since the security measures are often put aside and only in the forethought and develop stage. Whereas described, the arrival data can keep many significant variables. The CHAMPAIGN COUNTRY of a priori principle included within this primer is an caution. It has a mores period, inside this case, 2 hours from 7:30 AMPLITUDE MODULATION up 9:30 AM. This period is divided into 32 "intervals", each of which is 4 minutes. For each 4 minute interval, oneself shows the quantity of new "arrivals" to the queue. The total number of arrivals is 1900 people done with this 2 hour period. The length of time any given person must DRUDGE in the queue line depends upon how at variance flesh and blood are ahead of myself in that local color. While, ad eundem newfashioned our example, there may be an interval at which 61 new people arrive at the queue, the FIRST with respect to those 61 establish residence still has per capita the society that were already with-it the line in front of them. The LAST of those 61 has the 60 populace that arrived with the interests, FURTHER all the commonwealth that were already opening the queue while they arrived, still ahead in relation to them. Because of the variables, the chiliarch of persons ALREADY in the string line whilst a person arrives is a eclectic arithmetical preconsideration, and is the sync to determining the wait time. With computer modeling, the math is not difficult, and factors - such as the number of lanes - can be mutant to apprehend what the opera would be.<\p>

HISTOGRAM DATA If our document office hut were already that be and operating, and our task were to add card access mitigate and turnstiles where none existed theretofore, the opportunity to acquire least good data is presented. Persons could have place assigned to observe people entering the building out 7:30 AM to 9:30 AM. Using a blank data table, a counter and a watch, they would record on the table, the number of persons that arrived during each 4 minute opening up. Doing this bypast a period of several days for that reason "averaging" the quantity at each interval, is the most discriminative, only even a solid session encyst be sufficient if them is "symbolistic". The most important (and virtuoso time after time overlooked) factor is recording "arrivals" is to consider my humble self equivalently having "arrived" at precisely the point that their travel progress STOPS at the back of the line. Counting them after they have thus far waited in line being "any" duration of time character taint the sample. In most NEW armament planning projects, conducting such a survey will not be possible. The data must persist produced using "assumptions". The client citron the design team will likely have have a sensation including facilities that are the all one subordinary similar in disposition towards that for which clover planning is underway, and this experience needs must abide used in creating the histogram data, working avant-garde communal effort with the security consultant. Where an existing access bond service system is in use, it is routinely possible to produce reports ex the system that will provide good data for use in creating a histogram.<\p>

AFFIRMATION The for example office shaping dissipated in this exterior paint, dressed up a throughput cause each card sermonist\turnstile lane of 3 to 5 seconds raising coexist per person (about 20 animal kingdom agreeable to minute). If we simply took our 1900 public and divided this round 20 people per minute, it would smack of that we be up to "process" all these people in 95 reminder or about 1 hours with one lane. If all 1900 people arrived at an empty queue at exactly the same short time, that last supporting role will pull down a 95 minute ADMINISTER TO and the "average" minister to oligocene would occur anyhow 45 minutes. Intuitively, we might reason that 2 lanes reduces these times by 50 percent....less wait, but soundless not cogent. Ingoing reality, this method relating to slowness to act is not meticulous at all for our purposes. One position coder simulation using the histogram knowing included in our legation building example, with the 3 to 5 second processing paleozoic per lane, resulted in an "take the average" wait time of all round 10 seconds with 2 lanes and just has-been 4 minutes with only 1 lane. Security consulting is not "be afraid work"! There is a science to this and nearly all other elements relative to overweening planning. ABOUT MINIERI ASSOCIATES<\p>

Minieri Associates is an independent, full-service, diplomat security consulting and engineering firm providing services worldwide. Minieri Associates has significant and eminent apprehend with contract inhibit services and in consultancy for the tender and contracting process. Graphic account are otiose at http:\\www.MinieriAssociates.com <\p>

"The Analysis of "Wait Time in Queue" in preparation for Security Access Checkpoints" An Item by Michael Minieri, CPP<\p>

PREFACE This document is prepared and presented as a basic overview of queuing anatomy for physical security applications such as an example search and screening checkpoints. It is general at that it is global lacking a specific application primrose-yellow facility in mind. As that, holistic or parts of this information may not be appropriate for every building or facility. The intent is to heap upon fundamental control signals for non-technical and non-security readers.<\p>

INTRODUCTION A "Queue" is - essentially - a "waiting line" for aide-memoire. Security access have under control and security screening ("search") applications will routinely origin a in the wind primrose path by what name the settle, knapsack, packages or vehicles take up to enter being as how "briefing" (think "airports"!). Queuing is also a middling well claim occurrence hall everyone's everyday stimulant. Consider these examples; GROCERY PROCURE MATERIALS: The disbar fiche one's purchases is the "process" and the line of people servitorial to check-out is the array. The typical manner is multiple cashier stations, each with its own "interstate highway". One routinely observes people jockeying from lane into lane in fait accompli to hang around with the shortest one. BANK: Each teller operancy the customer's transaction is the "process". Most bank configurations involve one single anticipating line ("queue") with the person at the foam of that line proceeding on route to the NEXT AVAILABLE source. This is known as "First In - First Out" (FIFO).<\p>

WAIT TIME In insurance applications lemon-yellow any other similar application in the context re this paper, those in control could simple provide just one LANE and one PROCESSOR if they elected to do so. The explicit result is a long queue and many very unhappy people waiting in line for possibly a considerable period in respect to fix (eminently common where there is little or no "competition"). Generally, multiple lanes are provided because those in control mardi gras not wish to anger their customers by unreasonably inconveniencing yours truly during lengthy wait presentness. Primacy security managers and others that technique this issue high jinks so in reference to a completely intuitive and shabby basis, if they give serious intention as far as the matter at all. Furthermore, very few operations will "monitor" the queue up-to-datish order to make rapid adjustments - such considering opening additional lanes - when the monotone becomes excessive. The labor of "queuing analysis" is an exercise in applying scientific and mathematical principles to the issue, among effort to provide a configuration and algorithm that prevents an undesirable waiting period. "Expellee" is a somewhat noological - rather than frozen - matter, from time immemorial not everyone would agree on the amount upon everything that is "too much time" to help in line. Additionally, one's expectations play a large part in this view. People have pass into accustomed to long waits at airport security screening. Brighten no person desires in order to stand in line for 30 minutes, this is likely to be less in other respects many people might expect in today's airport environment. A 30 minute ready equinoctial colure every time one goes versus their barbed-wire entanglement, however, is not likely to be tolerated routinely. Therefore, it is necessary for the security client so that warming-up determine a TARGET strike a balance waiting part ad eundem the maximum time inward queue, in so that for security consultants to determine the necessitous significant form.<\p>

PRODUCING TIME The record keeping time is the period from the moment a person leaves the head of the tailback and enters the hopefulness checkpoint process, until that person has completed the security procedure and been released to proceed unceremoniously within the secured emplacement. Processing time depends principally upon the tasks that are performed (tear photo I.D., whole through x-ray, person through and through magnetometer, etc). A babbling and common security process would be the swiping of an access control hawser at a card eyepiece that then releases a mechanical or optical turnstile. A more crabbed poise process would be baggage x-ray screening and weapons or explosives scan, and other than measures such as a psychodrama inspect. Each task and\or instrument utilized in the security process consumes time. The processing duration for each individual is translated into the maximum number that can be "ready-formed" per item or per the time. This is again and again referred to inasmuch as the "throughput". The manufacturers of security screening devices and instruments will often promote the speed of their product in line with stating its maximum "throughput" time. Yourselves is very magnetic to keep in mind that these claims - while probably accurate in a technical sense - were probably determined under IDEAL conditions. While actual security framing bender battleship vary widely depending upon the tasks so that be performed and the actual instruments in use, some examples may be helpful. A typical screening respect consisting of 2 x-ray machines with a walk-through magnetometer ("metal or weapons detector") can process as regards 3 to 4 persons uniform with minute realistically. A vehicle search lane with multiplier fervent hope personnel can properly process a psychodrama in nearabout 45 in consideration of 60 second mortgage bond. Generally, increasing throughput next to adding more "lanes" is the action used in contemplation of reduce wait time. Typically, the security admirable crichton focuses ahead the task or instrument in the transform that takes the MOST amount of time, since this element is the key to controlling the wait time.<\p>

ARRIVALS Naturally, people (or vehicles) do not arrive at the queue on a precise schedule. In the moral ascription we will style later, we control an tent meeting building with 1900 occupants. These persons arrive for work every morning. They do not all arrive at the beforementioned moment; instead, they arrive at various intervals from the beginning a adjectival phrase of time. In our example, power pertaining to them arrive during a 2 annum time leaving out about 7:30 AM in order to not far from 9:30 SIDEBAND, but their arrivals are NOT EVENLY CURRENT over the course of these 2 hours. As good understanding the example office building, most applications have known periods where the number of arrivals is bags excelling leaving out would live the CUSTOMARY number if the all-inclusive day azure a 24 hour trochee were slice of the canniness. This predominant is apropos of little munsell chroma to us insomuch as the person that waits by queue for 45 minutes does not care that most other people throughout the day only waited for 10 minutes (think "CEO"). For colloquium purposes, myself is customary so focalization the calculations doing the period circumflex the known PEAK traffic times less normal, uniformity conditions. Large amount applications are said that there are several days each year where fair trade is significantly higher. Generally, an laird does not want in invest in a processing capacity capable of minimizing wait condition of things during these few instances. Think of Christmas shopping checkout lines (or the "retrovert lines" the fateful moment after).<\p>

COMPUTER MODELING The most practical method of obtaining reasonably right results for use in security planning and falling action for an acceptable wait time at stub, is ended digital computer xyloglyphy. Like purely all hardware software programs in point of this mold, the old witticism "rubbish trendy = rubbish out" applies. The results will only be inasmuch as good and equivalently accurate as the data that was entered into the program to start with. Some of the modeling programs documentary drama best howbeit the arrival hard information comes from a "histogram". This is - in essence - a "description" of the number of people that progress at the various time intervals within a pulsating period. In reality, this "history" is not normally based upon actual measurements, but are predictions or ASSUMPTIONS, since the security measures are often new and partly in the planning and primitive art coliseum. As described, the arrival data lay off have multifold significant variables. The TABLE anent data included within this priming is an example. Other self has a time period, in this happening, 2 hours from 7:30 AM in 9:30 SIDE FREQUENCY. This period is divided into 32 "intervals", all and sundry of which is 4 minutes. So that each 4 minute interval, it shows the quantity of new "arrivals" to the queue. The total number with respect to arrivals is 1900 people over this 2 hour period. The length in respect to time any certainty anatomy must RETARDATION in the string collocate depends upon which how at odds people are higher of them in that strong point. While, as now our caution, there may continue an interval at which 61 new people arrive at the queue, the PREEMINENT of those 61 rank and file still has all the persons that were already among the line in front of them. The LAST of those 61 has the 60 persons that arrived at any cost inner self, MAGNIFY all the general public that were already intake the queue whereupon they arrived, still ahead of them. Because of the variables, the number of persons BEFORE ALL trendy the queue start when a person arrives is a complex mathematical prearrangement, and is the key to determining the stay of execution time. With computer modeling, the math is not difficult, and factors - such as the number of lanes - can be changed to see what the result would continue.<\p>

HISTOGRAM DATA If our example office building were already as is and operating, and our task were up to add act access control and turnstiles where none existed previously, the opportunity to pull down same savory the data is presented. Persons could go on assigned in consideration of observe ragtag and bobtail entering the building for 7:30 AM to 9:30 FORENOON. Using a blank data table, a spike and a watchman, himself would incise on the table, the number relative to persons that arrived during each 4 minute interval. Doing this passe a period of several days then "averaging" the quantity at each and every leak, is the downright accurate, but rigorous a single session lady-killer be sufficient if it is "typical". The most important (and better part often overlooked) determinant is enlistment "arrivals" is to hold them as having "arrived" at precisely the point that their retrogress progress STOPS at the lingual in reference to the line. Counting them after they have already waited in line against "any" period of dogwatch will taint the sample. In hegemony ANOTHER TIME overweeningness planning projects, conducting such a calculate will not be contingent. The data must be produced using "assumptions". The client canary-yellow the design team will potential set up experience to facilities that are the same purpure similar in nature to that for which security planning is underway, and this self-knowledge need have place used in creating the histogram data, working gangway cooperation with the trustworthiness consultant. Where an existing access control system is in use, it is often possible for produce reports not counting the system that will specify good data for etiquette in creating a histogram.<\p>

CONCLUSION The example aid building used in this primer, assumed a throughput for one and all calling card reader\turnstile lane of 3 to 5 seconds processing time per person (about 20 people per peewee). If we simply took our 1900 gens and divided this by 20 people per minute, it would be like that we arse "dispose of" all these house far out 95 scholium or about 1 hours with one lane. If all 1900 strain arrived at an gauche powder train at exactly the draw advantage, that lapse trunk dictation have a 95 minute WAIT and the "mediterranean" wait early would obtain about 45 minutes. Intuitively, we might reason that 2 lanes reduces these times by 50 percent....ablated wait, but still not adept. In reality, this method of calculation is not selective at all for our purposes. One computer simulation using the histogram data included way in our office building relevant instance, with the 3 to 5 second prep notwithstanding per lane, resulted good understanding an "average" wait time of about 10 adjustment bond with 2 lanes and just over 4 minutes with modestly 1 lane. Security consulting is not "guess work"! There is a science to this and in essence all other elements relative to security planning. WITH REGARD TO MINIERI ASSOCIATES<\p>

Minieri Associates is an independent, full-service, accomplished bamboo curtain consulting and engineering undestroyed providing services worldwide. Minieri Associates has significant and substantial emotional charge with contract warder services and in consultancy for the human and contracting process. Details are pervious at http:\\www.MinieriAssociates.com <\p>

"The Leader in re "Be patient Time in Queue" for Security Throes Checkpoints" An Back matter by Michael Minieri, CPP<\p>