Countdown Downunder
Certificate in Performance Testing of Milking Machines
Note....this page last updated
January 2004
This
qualification is for technicians who have an AMMTA (or equivalent) qualification
in milking machine dry testing and have completed the Countdown Downunder
Adviser Short Course in the technicians’ stream.
It consists of four
parts:
1
Systematic assessment of cluster components to check whether
cluster position and weight balance are good, cluster air admission and air
leakage are within guidelines, liners fit shells and claw nipples, and liners
are within their ‘use-by’ date;
2
Performance tests of the effectiveness of vacuum regulation: unit
fall-off test, vacuum undershoot & overshoot, and vacuum change at
regulator;
3
A performance test, by wet testing or milking-time testing, to
ensure that the average claw vacuum levels are within the recommended range;
4
A performance test of vacuum stability in the milkline and
receiver.
Parts 3 and 4 above are recognised nationally through the Australian
Qualifications Framework in RTE4305A
Performance test milking machines (
11 March 2003
).
The
qualification is offered through the National Milk Harvesting Centre. Candidates
pay $300 to enrol for assessment.
Prerequisites, Training &
Competencies
The candidate
must have a Milking Machine Dry Test Certificate (AMMTA Testing Certificate or
equivalent qualification).
The training outline is:
-
Attendance at
the Countdown Downunder Advisers Short Course (technicians’ Topic 5: Improved
procedures for machine testing)
-
Attendance at
day 4 (multidisciplinary assignment Topic 21: Presentation and discussion
of Farm Assignments)
The AQF
Competency covered is RTE4305A Performance test milking machines
Assessment
1
Attendance at a Countdown Downunder Adviser Short Course;
2
Contribution to the group Farm Assignment during the course;
3
Submission of 5 completed Countdown recording forms (Mastitis
Investigation Pack, Sheet F: Performance tests of milking machines (Jan 04));
4
Submission of a dry test report form completed for each of the 5
milking machines (the dry tests to have been completed within 3 months of the
performance tests). Candidates do not need to have personally performed the dry
tests themselves, but they must have personally undertaken and recorded the
performance tests on Sheet F (Jan 2004). In order to satisfactorily complete the
recommendations section on Sheet F, they must be able to interpret the dry tests
and recognise any discrepancies.
5
Telephone interview of 30 minutes duration on submitted reports
with nominated assessor.
Resource materials
-
Countdown
Downunder booklet: Performance tests
of milking machines, Jan 2004 (21 pages)
-
Revised
Technote 25: Test, service and upgrade milking machines, Feb 2003 (12 pages)
-
New
Technote FAQ Sheet: How can I tell if the liners need changing?, Feb 2003 (6 pages)
-
Countdown
Downunder Mastitis Investigation Pack Sheet F: Performance tests of milking
machines, Jan 2004 (2 pages)
-
ANTA
Training Package for RTE4305A, March 2003
What should I expect during my
30-min phone conversation with the assessor?
Each candidate will be asked to lead the reviewer through the details of
any two of the five reports. One
report will be selected by the assessor, the other will be selected by you.
The main purpose of the discussion will be to evaluate your knowledge and
understanding of the measurement procedures and the interpretation of results.
-
Examples
of questions to assess your knowledge and understanding of correct
measurement procedures could include:
-
How
did you ensure that you could trust the vacuum gauges used for the
measurements?
-
Describe
the procedure and vacuum connections you used for measuring "regulator
undershoot and overshoot" or "vacuum change at the
regulator".
-
Describe
how compatibility of liner to shell, and liner to claw nipple, were checked.
How did you assess liner condition?
-
How
did you measure claw air admission? If the air flow meter was under vacuum
for this measurement, how did you convert the scale reading to the true
reading at atmospheric pressure?
An
example question to assess your knowledge, understanding and correct
interpretation of results could include:
What do I achieve?
As a successful candidate you will receive a Countdown Downunder Certificate in
Performance Testing of Milking Machines. This qualification is issued by the
National Milk Harvesting Centre, Ellinbank and recognised by the dairy industry
as evidence of advanced skills in milking machine testing. You will be listed on
a special registry on the Countdown website.
Contacts for further information
Rob Greenall
National Milk
Harvesting Centre, RMB 2460 Hazeldean Rd, Ellinbank, Vic 3821
Phone 03 5624
2333 Fax 03
5624 2200
Rod Dyson
Countdown
Downunder, Level 6,
84 William St
,
Melbourne
, Vic 3000,
Phone 03 9620
7283 Fax 03
9642 8133
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