Separators Blog

At Separators, we like sharing our hard-won knowledge and automated centrifuge insights with our clients. That’s why we prodded one of our veteran automation engineers for some insights into why he thinks automation will continue to play a vital role in dairy production facilities.

At Separators, we don't just care about centrifuge maintenance — we live and breathe it. As North America's largest independent service technician organization for Alfa Laval, Tetra Pak, and Westfalia high-speed disc centrifuges, we're all about meeting your needs head-on, whether they're routine or unexpected.

From problematic bowl bottoms to pesky bowl components, you probably know the headaches of dealing with centrifuge issues that are on the fritz all too well. 

It’s no secret that regular centrifuge maintenance minimizes production downtime, extends the life of your equipment, and saves your team a lot of headaches (and money) in the long run.

Recently, a large dairy plant experienced the nightmare scenario of a catastrophic failure when the bowl cracked on one of their plant’s MSD300 centrifuges. 

What was the longest wait time you've been given when facing an equipment emergency? 

We often hear about plants waiting more than a week to get a technician out to address an issue — and sometimes, the issue has put the plant at a standstill (or, at best, a significantly decreased production volume).

That's why we make it a priority to provide fast, quality service to our customers with our drop-of-a-hat centrifuge repair.

Providing internship opportunities allows established companies to give back to the next generation while benefiting from fresh perspectives. This summer, Separators brought on two talented interns who elevated our digital marketing and engineering capabilities.

While minor and major service visits can help keep your centrifuge in good working condition, wear and tear will require you to send in your bowl and other essential components for more extensive service over time.

So far, 2023 has proven to be full of supply fluctuations, innovation, and a focus on sustainability. And 2024 already looks to be shaping up to be an interesting year, with an increased pressure on companies to innovate and expand product offerings.

As we look ahead to future change, here are the top four trends we can expect to see from top dairy companies in the year ahead.

Centrifuges are massive, powerful machines. While these machines operate in a simple, consistent manner, the moment a centrifuge bowl becomes unbalanced, the centrifuge quickly becomes one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment on your production floor.