Liner wall movement and vacuum measured by data acquisition.

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Engineering
• Dairy Science
• Biomechanical Engineering

Background:

• Milking machine liners undergo cyclic opening and closing, termed pulsation.
• Liner wall movement is driven by differential pressures across the liner barrel.
• Understanding pulsation dynamics is crucial for efficient and effective milking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantitatively measure liner wall movement during pulsation.
• To characterize the distinct phases of liner opening and closing.
• To correlate liner movement with chamber vacuum dynamics.

Main Methods:

• Liner wall movement was measured using an analogue laser sensor and data acquisition system.
• Experiments were conducted both in laboratory settings and during actual milking operations.
• Data analysis involved averaging eight pulsation cycles after excluding initial and final cycles.

Main Results:

• The liner 'D' phase (opening) averaged 407 ms, compared to the chamber vacuum 'd' phase (259 ms) with an artificial teat.
• Liner opening time was 87 ms (artificial teat) and 98 ms (milking); closure time was 23 ms (artificial teat) and 42 ms (milking).
• Liner ratios (open:closed) were approximately 57:43 (lab) and 58.2:41.8 (milking), with chamber vacuum ratios around 65:35 and 64.5:35.5, respectively.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully quantified liner wall movement and pulsation characteristics.
• Measured parameters offer valuable data for refining milking machine liner design.
• This technological approach can enhance overall milking performance and udder health.