The development of biotechnical systems in animal husbandry is characterized by the level of its intellectual and digital transformation based on neural network technologies and artifi cial intelligence systems. They are supposed to effi ciently recognize and take into account the refl exes, individual and group motivation of animal behavior and implement them in the corresponding local technological subsystems. Pathways to resting and self-service places for animals can be represented in the form of an oriented graph. To analyze it, the authors propose an integral ST-criterion (path-time), characterizing the duration of movement along the graph edges (a logistical infrastructure of the barn) between its vertices. The proposal includes some points of animal service in the corresponding local biotechnological systems (LBTS) (those of milking, feeding, watering, etc.). The graph analytics for each animal helps estimate idle travels from resting to service places (self-service), duration of service in the respective LBTS (working movement), veterinary treatment in case of diseases, total motor activity, total rest time in the box (at least 14 hours for highly productive animals), including duration of night and day rest, abnormal breaks between milkings (over 14 hours) in case of “voluntary” milking in automatic systems (robots), etc. By comparing photo-chronometer indicators with productivity and physiological state of each animal separately and analyzing possible time losses (downtime) at service (self-service) places, deviations in animal behavior, we can get a clear picture of the organization and effi ciency of technological processes on the farm, possible productivity losses and production costs. The graph analytics of local biotechnical systems in cattle breeding equipped with animal identifi cation and video surveillance systems wi ll enable farmers to optimize the on-farm control of technological processes. 

The industrial demand for raspberry harvesters is high again. The article presents domestic and foreign experience in the development and improvement of raspberry harvester catchers. The authors note the pre-dominance of non-driven plateand disk-type catchers. They list some advantages of the catcher with the arrangement of each section disks on the longitudinal beam hinged to the harvester frame in its upper part. The gravitation moment of the catcher sections arising as a result of this design solution forcibly compresses the raspberry row to an acceptable width. To obtain the information necessary for further improvement of the design, the authors studied the raspberry stem stand of the Balsam variety. As a result, they obtained a regression model of the relationship between the transverse force acting on the stem necessary for the raspberry row formation, its diameter and the required transverse limb. The pairwise correlation coeffi cient (0.617) indicates a dominant infl uence of raspberry stem diameter on the transverse force. They also determined the value of the moment of gravity of the catcher sections that is adapted to the optimal row density and equals 1085 N·m. The determined parameters are readily adjustable.

Reducing anthropogenic impact on the soil is becoming increasingly important. A comprehensive assessment of the level of impact of machine technology in vegetable crops harvesting will help to reduce the negative impact on the environment. The article presents analytical studies to determine the indicators of the level of man-made impact of the technological set of machines used for harvesting vegetable crop. The authors have developed an environmental friendliness criterion, which takes into account the amount of the component in liquid, gaseous, and solid waste; the value of soil density when harvesting root crops; the amount of erosion-threatening particles; environmental pollution with pesticides and mineral fertilizers; the average value of the removal of the fertile soil layer during harvesting; and air pollution by toxic components of the exhaust gases of internal combustion engines. They have determined and justifi ed the criteria for mechanical and technological prerequisites for harvesting vegetable crops, which determine the level of man-made impact of the technological set of machines used for harvesting vegetable crops: environmental friendliness criterion, energy intensity criterion, material consumption criterion, information support cost criterion, overall dimensions criterion, and ergonomics criterion. It has been stated that to assess the level of impact of technological sets of machines used for harvesting vegetable crops, it is necessary to be guided by the distribution ranges of the environmental friendliness criterion, which indicates the adjustments of technological sets of machines used for harvesting vegetable crops in the required range of acceptable values to maintain or improve the quality of harvesting.

The motion control system of the robotic platform should design a route and build a map of the platform’s real-time movement. The authors have developed a system for controlling the movement of a robotic platform in rows of garden plantings based on the technology of measuring distances by emitting light with an optical range rangefi nder LiDAR sensor. They have obtained a program code for planning the path of travel and setting the points of the travel trajectory in the Python programming language in the Ubuntu operating system (the Rviz visualization environment). To fi nd the optimal trajectory, they have applied an algorithm for traversing the graph and fi nding the optimal path. As a result, they have designed a robotic platform equipped with a LiDAR Velodyne Puck sensor (VLP-16) and a Benewake TFmini Plus rangefi nder measuring in real time the distance between the robotic platform and the apple tree model via a serial port (COM port). The accuracy of the robotic platform travel was evaluated under laboratory conditions. The experiment was conducted with the use of Super Lamp Holder SLH3 45W 220v 5500K RoHS fl uorescent discharge lamps, the illumination level varied from 10000 to 110000 lux and was controlled with the help of an Uprtek MF250N pulse spectrometer. The factorial experiment revealed the most effi cient travel mode of the robotic platform along the given trajectory: travel speed – 2.5 km/h; illuminance – 109600 lux; distance to the tree – 0.5 m. Positioning of the robotic platform relative to each tree in the rows of plantations and autonomous performance of basic technological operations with a deviation from the specifi ed trajectory of not more than 1.5 to 2 cm meet the agrotechnical requirements for monitoring of orchard plantations, application of plant protection agents, harvesting of fruit crops, and contour pruning of tree crowns.

The subsoil injection of liquid manure in large application rates (up to 100 t/ha and above) using a chisel subsoiler with a hose system increases soil fertility and is environmentally safe. A chisel subsoiler can be equipped with fi ve or six chisel tools with fl at-cut openers (small, with a working width of 325 mm and large 800 mm) with a width of tine spacing in the transverse direction of 890 and 680 mm, respectively. The depth of the chisel tools is 20 to 40 cm. The operating speed of the unit is 0.7 to 1.4 m/s. To assess the possible amount of applied liquid manure, the authors have obtained a mathematical model determining the application rate of fertilizers depending on the design and technological parameters (the geometry and installation depth of chisel tools of various widths in the tool settings, the unit speed) and soil properties. It has been established that in the range of operating speeds of 0.5 to 0.8 m/s, the maximum application rate of liquid manure for a subsoiler with fi ve working tools with openings 0.8 m wide is 80 to 90 t/ha, with six working tools – 110 to 120 t/ha. The research results show that various options for the unit settings provide for the application of liquid manure at a rate of 40 to 120 t/ha in accordance with agrotechnical requirements and environmental friendliness of the technology.

The existing designs of standard fuel treatment fi lters containing replaceable fi lter elements have a short service life and do not always fully meet the requirements of highly effi cient fuel fi ltering. Based of new technical solutions, the authors designed a hydrodynamic fi lter with hydrophobic screen partition. The fi lter element with a hydrophobic screen partition was tested at 20°C with diesel fuel DT-5 EURO, class 4, type III according to GOST Р 52368-2005 (ЕН 590:2004) under the standard test procedure of fi lters and fi lter-separators for ground fuel fi ltering facilities. The content of mechanical impurities in diesel fuel was determined according to GOST EH 12662-2016. To statistically process research results, the authors used Statgraphics software package. It has been established that in the hydrodynamic fi lter the separating screen partition No. 004 has optimal cell size and acceptable hydraulic characteristics. The authors conducted a full factorial experiment to estimate the partition’s infl uence on the fi ltering properties. According to its results, the greatest infl uence on the removal of mechanical impurities at hydrodynamic fi ltration belongs to the speed of fuel fl ow, the smallest – the partition inclination angle and the concentration of mechanical impurities. The presented regression model of hydrodynamic fi ltering is useful for forecasting the effi ciency of diesel fuel cleaning. The conducted research is helpful for determining physical operating conditions of the hydrodynamic fi lter with a hydrophobic screen partition at the designing stage and setting design parameters of fi ltering partitions to ensure the optimum functioning of the device. 

Fat-containing waste from the meat processing industry (crude fat) is an inexpensive renewable raw material for the production of surfactants. The authors propose a technology of processing crude fat into surfactants that consists of two technological processes: demulsifi cation of a fat-containing aqueous emulsion and production of technical fat (triglyceride); technical fat processing into a surfactant (amide-fatty acids). The article presents a technological scheme of processing crude fat into technical fat. The technology of processing triglycerides has been tested in a laboratory pilot plant. Surfactants were synthetized when technical fat, monoethanolamine and boric acid were heated to a temperature of 180°C for 1.5 hours at a ratio (wt.%): technical fat – 65.3 to 72.4; monoethanolamine –14.5 to 170; boric acid – 100. The resulting surfactant was tested on a four-ball friction machine as an anti-wear additive to lubricating oils. The results of tribological tests have shown the high effi ciency of the obtained surfactant when used as an anti-wear additive in the base oil I-20 in an amount of 10%. Wear for the control sample (base oil) amounted to 207 microns, and that for a lubricant composition based on fatty acid amides – to 167 microns. The developed technology of processing crude fat into surfactants can be recommended for obtaining technical products: corrosion inhibitors, anti-wear additives, emulsifi ers, technical detergents, etc. 

The technology of additive manufacturing of parts makes it possible to signifi cantly reduce the cost of machinery repair. However, the property formation laws of such parts have not been suffi ciently studied. The authors have studied the relationship between the ultimate strength of 3D-printed samples and the number of wall layers and infi ll density. Samples produced according to GOST 11262-2017 by 3D printing using FDM technology from ABS plastic were tested for static stretching. Two groups of samples, diff erent in technological parameters of 3D-printing, were made. In the fi rst group the wall of the samples was formed in four layers, the density of the sample fi ll varied in the range of 20 to 100%. In the second group, the number of wall layers varied from 2 to 10, the infi ll density of the samples corresponded to 33%. When samples were made, extruder temperature was 230°C, table temperature – 110°C, layer height – 0.15 mm, and printing speed – 60 mm/s. An analysis of the yield strength of the samples showed an increase in strength with an increase in the number of wall layers. Signifi cant diff erence of strength values was observed in samples with six layers and more. Signifi cant variation of yield strength values can be explained by the presence of defects in the samples after printing. When infi ll density exceeded 40%, a signifi cant increase in strength was observed due to the densifi cation of polymer molecule bonds. In the range of 20 to 40%, the strength index did not change, because the same structural changes occurred in this range. It was found that the number of wall layers should not exceed the number of inner perimeter layers and the infi ll density of the parts should be 100% to produce polymeric parts of agricultural machinery by 3D printing using FDM technology with maximum strength characteristics. 

The power supply of agro-industrial enterprises depends on qualitative power supply. The application of local sources of power supply for the large commercial enterprises and their associations makes it possible to eliminate the disadvantages of centralized power supply. The article justifi es the transition from centralized power supply to local power sources for rural consumers. The authors developed a criterion to estimate power supply options for agro-industrial objects. The criterion is an integral index including capital investments in power source and current costs of its operation. Using the criterion and taking into account the conditions of energy comparability of the compared variants, we can determine the most preferable engineering power supply system of agro-industrial objects. Using the example of “AgroPromkomplektatsiya” holding divisions, the author analytically proved the relevance, expediency, and eff ectiveness of using the local source of energy supply (mini-CHP) – an autonomous 3 MW energy complex based on the innovative gas piston unit GPU “Jenbacher”. The actual common grid electricity tariff was 6.41 rubles/kWh, while the cost of electricity based on the innovative gas piston unit amounted to 3.34 rubles/kWh. 

The use of commonly used grain disinfection methods based on electromagnetic radiation is accompanied by high energy costs and insuffi ciently high-quality sterilization. The best characteristics have been demonstrated by a method of resonance-low-frequency disinfection, which needs to be eff ectively implemented taking into account the purpose of research. The analysis of bioelectromagnetic interactions showed the ineffi ciency of the solenoid due to the lack of Lorentz strength from the magnetic component and a weak and uneven electrical component. To avoid these shortcomings, the authors proposed improved solutions for the solenoid, evaluated the possibility of using multipolar electromagnets, and developed a new decontamination device with a uniform electrical component (E-fi eld). They also provided theoretically described the advantages of a new device based on the E-fi eld. An experiment was conducted on the disinfection of wheat grain at a plant with a capacity of 400 kg/h with a working fi eld frequency of 600 Hz. For a correct comparative assessment, the experiment was also conducted on an improved solenoid and a microwave installation Sigma-1. The results were subject to phytoevaluation conducted according to the standard methodology. Based on the experimental data, the authors determined the disinfection effi ciency coeffi cient, which was 280 for a new device, 16.6 for an advanced solenoid, and 2.3 for the Sigma-1 microwave unit. At the same time, the device based on the E-fi eld provided a reduction in the total contamination of the material with fungi and bacteria in 3.1 times, the improved solenoid – in 1.8 times. Power consumption was 30 and 410 watts, respectively. The experiment results confi rm the eff ectiveness of the new device based on the E-fi eld, which is characterized by low energy consumption, low metal consumption, simple design, and safe operation. 

Activated solutions (catholyte and anolyte) are used for disinfection and growth of vegetable plants. To water vegetable plants with catholyte and disinfect them with anolyte, the authors have designed a single-phase fl ow-through electric activator consisting of two symmetrical chambers – that of a cathode and an anode type. The capacity of each chamber is 25 l/h. At the rated operating mode of the electric activator the change in the hydrogen index of water consumed is 3.5. The authors have determined design parameters, electrode spacing, electrode resistance, temperature increment in the cathode chamber, current and power consumed by the electric activator for these conditions. Using a three-factor experiment, they have determined optimization criteria: electric activator capacity, its productivity, and operating cycle. The obtained regression equations adequately describe the process of liquid ac tivation in the electric activator and determine the eff ective modes of its operation. It has been experimentally established that effi ciency of water electro-activation process is determined by the value of change in hydrogen index of the activated solution, loss of voltage in the electric activator chamber, and current density determined by the capacity, productivity, and operating cycle of the electric activator. 

The developed dynamic method of integral heat fl ux determination is based on the single-capacity dynamic model of the thermal state of the temperature measuring transducer (TMT), experiencing thermal infl uence of the constant infrared radiation fl ux and natural convective heat exchange of the TMT surface with the surrounding air. The model can help determine the permeability of moist agricultural raw materials. The eff ectiveness of the integral heat fl ux method was tested by studying the infrared radiation permeability of a layer of purifi ed drinking water with salinity not exceeding 1 g/l and a layer of apple pulp of the Golden-Deliches variety. The response of the temperature measuring transducer to infrared radiation was experimentally determined in series when the radiation was applied directly to the TMT and through a 3 mm thick sheet of monolithic polycarbonate. A 1 to 6 mm thick layer of water and a 1 to 10 mm thick layer of apple pulp were placed on the polycarbonate sheet in 1 mm increments. As a result of approximation of the experimental data obtained, the authors determined the maximum constant temperature value of the TMT and the time constant value of the TMT transient heating process. It was found that increasing the thickness of the water layer from 1 to 6 mm was accompanied by a decrease in the layer permeability from 0.804 to 0.629 in an exponential relationship with an exponent coeffi cient of –0.736. As the thickness of the apple layer increased from 1 to 6 mm, the permeability of the wet layer decreased from 0.780 to 0.097 according to an exponential relationship with an exponent coeffi cient of –0.399. The suffi cient heating duration for the spherical TMT was about 70 s and for the blackened fl attened TMT it did not exceed 30 s. The coeffi cients of the power-law ratio can be treated as attenuation coeffi cients in the Bouguer law for thermal radiation with energy maximum at wavelength λmax equaling 0.9 to 1.1 μm. 

The existing system of the electric network 6 kV used in the greenhouse facilities “Ovoshchi Krasnodarskogo kraya” with the insulated neutral does not ensure its reliable operation. Short single-phase short circuits in the network lead to ferroresonance, multiple short circuits and failure of power line sections and electrical equipment of the network up to the complete halting of greenhouse production. To eliminate ferroresonance processes and overvoltages in the electrical network and increase the reliability of the electrical supply system of the greenhouse facilities “Ovoshchi Krasnodarskogo kraya”, the authors have analyzed the effi ciency of an electrical supply system of 6kV network at its transition from the isolated neutral to the resistive-earthed neutral. They have determined the values of the capacitive currents of the electric network sections of the greenhouse facilities to show the excess of their allowable values. Based on the results obtained, they have stated the need for the modernization of the neutral grounding system of the electric network of the greenhouse facilities by transition to the neutral grounding through the low resistors used in commercially available transformer neutral grounding cabinets with the resistors 100 ohm for the 6 kV networks. The change in operating mode of the high-voltage network of the greenhouse enterprise from the isolated neutral to the resistive-grounded neutral ensured its reliable operation without interruptions of power supply and disconnection of its consumers. The network modernization has increased the current at the point of a single-phase short circuit to ground and provided the possibility of an immediate shut down of the damaged lines, thereby avoiding repeated short circuits in power lines and damage of electric equipment caused by ferroresonance. It has also reduced the probability of intermittent short-circuits, overvoltage in the network and electric shock to personnel and bystanders. 

The results of the state final assessment (SFA) determine the further updating of the educational process. During the integration of federal state educational standards and the new WorldSkills standards in the system of secondary vocational education, a new component – a demo exam – appeared in the structure of the state fi nal assessment. It emphasizes the simulation of real working conditions to solve practical problems of professional activity in accordance with the best world standards and national practices. The article presents the features of conducting a demo exam according to the WorldSkills standards for the majors and professions of the automotive industry. The authors discuss the positive and negative characteristics of this SFA form and consider the possibility of including the independent assessment of qualifi cations (IAQ) in the SFA system. This modifi cation provides conditions for conjugating the education system and the labor market. The state fi nal assessment of the graduates of secondary vocational education institutions has revealed the need to change the content and methodology of the training process and assessment activities. As a result of integrating the traditional system of fi nal assessment with the WorldSkills standards for the training area (major) 23.02.07 “Maintenance and repair of engines, systems and assemblies of motor vehicles” in the Automotive College, the authors have developed and tested a model of the demo exam based on the independent quality assurance methodology. The model provides a comprehensive assessment of the professional competence of graduates.