The HOLMES experiment aims to directly measure the mass studying the ¹⁶³Ho electron capture decay spectrum, using arrays of TES-based micro-calorimeters implanted with O(10² Bq/detector) ¹⁶³Ho atoms. The neutron irradiation of ¹⁶²Er enriched samples, used for the production of ¹⁶³Ho, also generates radioactive contaminants. Chemical processes have been developed to extract the Ho fraction with high efficiency. The radioactive Ho isotope ^166mHo is also present in the final sample and could significantly contribute to background events in the final spectrum. For this reason a dedicated implantation/mass separator has been set up and commissioned. It is designed to achieve more than 5 separation 163/166 u simultaneously allowing an efficient ¹⁶³Ho atoms embedding inside micro-calorimeter absorbers. Its main components are a 50 kV sputter-based ion source, a magnetic dipole and a target chamber. A specially designed co-evaporation system has been implemented to deposit gold on the detector absorbers during implantation to overcome the ¹⁶³Ho source saturation problem. The system performances in terms of achievable beam current, profile and mass separation have been evaluated by means of calibration runs using Cu, Mo, Au and ¹⁶⁵Ho beams. An intensive study was done to optimize the target containing ¹⁶³Ho in order to achieve a large fraction of ionized Ho in the beam. In this work, the machine development and commissioning will be described.