newbie milking machine question

shaymoose7

Hey guys, was wondering could anyone tell me how a pulsator works, as in pulsators used in milking machines. How it works with the motor, how to incorperate them into a machine and so on. Thanks guys.

keep going

not sure what you mean exactly but basiclly the pulsater opens to let the vacum into the cluster to squeeze the teat now adays there is a electonic box controlling the pulsater

bbam

This website will give you a basic understanding on how a machine works.. very basic and American standards vary considerably from those here..

http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/fieldservice/Dairy/Mastitis/milkmac.htm

If you're thinking of going the DIY repair/install route then I wouldn't advise it.. I've seen many diy jobs and many cows destroyed....

shaymoose7

thanks but i understand the proccess of the whole machine and the jb of the pulsator i just need to know what a pulsator is in relation to the motor like is it something attached to the motor or fitted into one or is it seperate from the motor or what ?

bbam

At its basic a pulsator is a mechanical or electromechanical device attached to the main vacuum line of the machine.
It will look something like this

or this


A mechanical pulsator will use the vacuum in the line to both control it's pulsating motion and the vacuum down to the cluster.
In an electronic pulsator the electronics control the rate of pulsation and the vacuum down to the cluster.
The vacuum pulse down to the cluster controls the opening and closing of the liner under the cows teat, 70/30 would be 70% of the time open and 60/40 would be 60% open.

Both of the pulsators shown are 2x2 pulsation (milks two teats at a time) but there are 4x0 systems (milks all four teats together). 2x2 is marginally more expensive but a far superior method of milking. Then there are relay systems which can be controlled either manually or electronically.

Actually going back to the 50's/60's there were pulsators ran off the machine motor but they were shockingly ineffective and I'd guess in this country they have all been consigned to the scrapheap.

shaymoose7

Thanks dude really helpfull. Just wondering, is there a pulsator pipe line of some sort with the pulsator attached or is it attached to the vacuum line ?

bbam

In general the main vacuum line from the pump would come as far as the sanitary jar and then branch on down the parlour, it is this main vacuum line down the parlour that the pulsation is attached to. typically in PVC/Gunbarrell where the other lines in the parlour for milk/washing would be in stainless steel.