Commissioning a New Separator: First-Start Checks

A separator that has just been installed is in a different state from one that has been running for a season. Threads are dry, seals have never been compressed, the bowl has never been run up, and nobody on site has yet seen how this particular machine behaves at speed.

This guide covers the checks that belong to a first start, after the machine is in position and before the first batch of milk goes through it. It is not a substitute for the operating instructions supplied with the machine, which remain the authority on installation, electrical connection and running procedure.

Before the machine is connected

Confirm the supply matches the machine. Compare the voltage, frequency and plug on the machine label with the supply that will actually feed it. A machine built for one supply and connected to another is a commissioning fault, not a warranty discussion to have later.
Confirm the electrical work was done by a competent person, and that the circuit is protected as the installation requires. Do not commission a machine on a temporary connection you intend to change afterwards.
Check the machine is level and stable. The feet should sit on a surface that does not flex. A machine that rocks will transmit movement into the bowl at speed.
Confirm there is clearance around the machine for the outlets, for opening the bowl, and for the operator to stand safely while it runs.

Mechanical checks before the first run

1. Open the bowl and confirm the assembly is complete as delivered — disc stack in order, spacers present, gasket seated, locking nut correctly fitted. Transport can loosen what was tight at packing.

2. Check the bowl closes and locks smoothly. If it does not, stop and establish why rather than forcing it. A thread that will not run freely on a new machine is a reason to investigate, not to apply more effort.

3. Confirm the outlets are fitted and clear. Look through each passage against the light.

4. Check that nothing was left inside the housing — packing material, tools, or a cloth used during installation.

5. Turn the bowl by hand where the design allows it, and confirm it rotates freely without contact or scraping.

The first run — without milk

Run the machine empty first. This is the step most often skipped, and it is the only chance to observe the machine's own behaviour before the process introduces variables.

Start and listen. Note any scraping, knocking or irregular sound and stop immediately if one appears.
Watch for vibration as speed builds. A new machine should run up smoothly. Vibration that appears at a specific speed and then settles is worth investigating before it is used with product.
Let it run long enough to reach stable operating speed, then switch off and let it come to a complete stop on its own. Do not slow the bowl by hand or by applying anything to it.
After it stops, check for movement — a bowl that has shifted, a fastener that has loosened, a mount that has settled. Re-check the fasteners after the first run rather than assuming they are still at the installed torque.

If anything in this step is not right, resolve it before milk is introduced. A fault found on an empty machine is a commissioning issue; the same fault found mid-batch is a lost batch and a contaminated machine.

The first batch

For the first batch, keep the variables few:

Use a batch you can afford to lose. The first run through a new machine is a learning run, not a production commitment.
Run the procedure in the order given in the instructions — filling, running up, adjusting, discharging, stopping.
Adjust the cream setting in small steps and note the position. Record where the setting sits for the result you want, so the next batch starts from a known point instead of being rediscovered.
Observe the outlets during the run. Flow should be steady at both. A pulsing outlet, a sputter, or product appearing where it should not is information worth acting on immediately.
Stop and inspect at the end. Open the bowl, look at the disc stack, check the gasket, and confirm nothing has moved. Record what you see.

What to write down on the first day

A commissioning record is short, but it saves arguments later:

Machine model and assembly reference, as marked on the machine.
Supply voltage, frequency and plug type actually connected.
Date of first run, and who ran it.
The cream-setting position found for the first acceptable result.
Anything that was corrected during commissioning, and how.
Any observation that was noted but not resolved.

Keep it with the machine. If a part has to be ordered later, this record is the fastest way to establish which configuration is actually installed.

What not to conclude from a first run

Do not treat one good batch as validation of capacity. A single batch shows the machine runs; it does not establish throughput across a season.
Do not accept a vibration that "went away". A vibration that appears and clears with speed is still worth investigating before the machine is used routinely.
Do not change several things at once. If the first batch is not right, change one variable at a time, or you will not know which change mattered.

Where this fits with the other checklists

Arrival and condition checks belong to the receiving inspection checklist. Routine cleaning and reassembly belong to the cleaning and reassembly checklist. This guide covers the step between them — the first start, once, per machine.

If the machine has been bought used rather than new, the used-machine inspection guide covers what to establish before payment, and the symptom-to-part map is the reference if something behaves unexpectedly after commissioning.

For the assembly itself, the bowl assembly guide explains what each part of the stack does, which makes the first inspection easier to interpret.

Related maintenance resources

Use the ANDUUK replacement parts catalog to match seals, discs, outlets, motor components and cleaning tools to the correct machine assembly.

Browse replacement parts · Read the cleaning and reassembly checklist · Read separator FAQs