To increase the efficiency of harvesting corn for grain, some improvement is necessary in the design of the rotary threshing-and-separating unit, which has a massive rotor and an increased length of the path of active separation of grain mass during threshing. Reducing the size of rotary threshing units is possible by stopping the free grain flow into the discharge port at the output of the threshing chamber. This can be achieved by using an air curtain of the discharge port. At the same time, the free grain flow will be within regulated rates with a reduced rotor length and, accordingly, a shortened path length of the active separation of the grain mass. The stopping effect on the free-flowing grain in the discharge port should ensure its movement to the lower part of the threshing zone, where it is advisable to install a vibrating section of the deck that intensifies separation. Controlling the air curtain operation requires determining the shape of the grain profile common to the main botanical groups of corn and its effective area of contact with the air flow. The authors constructed the approximation of frontal and profile projections of dent and flint corn grains, taken from the lump, middle and toe of the cob, in the Compas-3D environment. The values of generalized coefficients in polynomials determining the averaged geometry for the corn grain profile and the effective area of grain contact with the air flow were established. At the same time, the average value of the effective area of contact with the air flow is within 76 to 82 mm². The obtained coefficient values are necessary to calculate the parameters of the air curtain of the discharge port of a rotary threshing and separating unit for corn with a rotor length reduced by 10 to 15%. The authors propose to test an improved rotary threshing and separating unit in conditions of threshing corn cobs with a moisture content of more than 14% and without previous husk removing.

The use of powerful tractors and wide-beam agricultural machinery, which have a strong compaction effect on the soil, is conditioned by the agricultural production profitability. The lack of a holistic systematic approach to reducing the anthropogenic compaction effect of wheel propulsors and working units of modern energy-intensive heavy machinery on the soil of agricultural landscapes requires the improvement of methods for determining the optimal air pressure in the tires of agricultural tractors. For this purpose, the authors developed an intelligent technology for determining the optimum air pressure in the various types of tires used in agricultural tractors. The problem was solved by processing “large” arrays of data on operating machine and tractor units and agrolandscapes in order to increase crop yields. Collection and analysis of primary data required for training the neural network were conducted on the fields of the Republic of Adygea during the cultivation of winter barley and winter wheat with the use of machinery equipped with Michelin AXIOBIB2 low-pressure tires. The Feed forward neural network was applied. Fourteen parameters were used as input factors to the neural network: types of soil, machinery and tires; field coordinates; presence and type of mounted equipment; season; type of tillage; granulometric composition, moisture and soil density; wheel diameters; motion speed of machines; field slope; agricultural background. The task set presumed the yield parameter as the main target function. The neural network pre-trained on a significant amount of input data calculates the optimal air pressure in tires when inputting the necessary data. Based on the designed software, the authors plan to develop a system of automatic adjustment of tire inflation depending on the incoming factors made in the offline and online modes.

A system for non-contact assessment of animals using three-dimensional cameras will facilitate the grading process. To develop a system for non-contact exterior assessment of animals using automatic video cameras, it is necessary to justify the rational design and operating conditions of the system. Based on digital vision, the authors determined the necessary parameters of the system using three measurements of the head: head length, forehead length and maximum forehead width. 15 adult animals of the zebu-type black-motley breed with a height of 1300 to 1500 mm were studied. To ensure coverage of the cow’s head in any position, three cameras were used: two located above the animal at a height of 2 m from the floor (the minimum distance from the camera to the head was 500 to 800 mm) and one in front of the animal at a distance of at least 2 m from the head and at a height 1.3 to 1.5 m from the floor. The signal from the identification antenna of the signal from the RFID tag of the animal initiated the acquisition of a three-dimensional image at a speed of 5 to 10 frames/s. Based on the measurements, the system automatically determines the broad-headed and big-headed indices. As a result of the study, the authors determined rational parameters for the location of cameras. The efficiency of shooting and accurate measurement of head measurements is ensured when the cow’s head is tilted relative to the camera at an angle of 45° and when the upper camera is located at a level of 2 m from the floor. When the head is tilted 65° and above, shooting is provided with the front camera located at a distance of at least 2 m from the head and at a height of 1.3 to 1.5 m from the floor. In their subsequent research, the authors plan to justify the rational design and operational-technological parameters of the model.

The production of pelleted aquaculture feeds from wet raw materials should reasonably be carried out in a basket granulator. The operation process of the basket granulator is not well studied. Rational parameters of its operation have no scientific grounds. A basket granulator is designed for pelleting of wet raw materials and producing feed for fish and their fry in the form of pellets with a diameter of 0.5 of 2 mm and a moisture content of 25 to 40%. Experimental studies were carried out to determine rational parameters of pelleting that provide high productivity. The pelleting process of wet raw material was studied at the rotation frequency of three extrusion blades of the granulator 37.8, 45.8, and 50.3 rpm and efficiency, respectively, 231, 274, and 291 kg∙h^-1. It has been established that the process of pellet formation in the basket granulator is cyclic and consists of pellet formation, reverse movement of material, and relaxation. Increasing the speed of the granulator’s working parts will lead to a decrease in the cycle duration of the impact of the parts on the material due to a decrease in the relaxation period, while the duration of the periods of pellet formation and reverse movement of the material remain constant. The duration of the relaxation period and the whole cycle of impact of the parts decrease almost linearly when increasing the rotational speed, but their duration decreases insignificantly when the frequency exceeds 47 rpm. The efficiency of the basket granulator can be increased both by increasing the number of working parts and increasing their rotary speed, but these methods have limitations associated with increasing the energy intensity of the process and the granulator design. The influence of rheological properties of raw materials and their moisture content on the pelleting process should be studied in the course of further research to justify the rational duration of periods in the working cycle of the basket granulator.

It is difficult to choose an optimal energy means and a suitable set of technological equipment due to the diversity of production conditions (size and configuration of fields, energy intensity of technological process, presence of stones, obstacles and a headland) and specific natural and climatic factors. In order to assess the influence of topographical features of the fields of the Celot farm (Eretria) on the performance of a seeding unit, including a pneumatic seeder Nardi Dora (DORA 600) and a tractor New Holland T6090, the authors studied 23 plots of about 107 ha. They analyzed variations of the seeding unit efficiency index depending on the size and shape indices of the plot (area, convexity, perimeter-to-area ratio, compactness index, square perimeter index, rectangularity and roughness of the field surface profile). Field area was determined with ArcGIS10.7.1, Locus GIS offline land survey was used to obtain spatial information. The obtained data were exported to the Google Earth Pro and ArcGIS software for further processing. The relationship between indices was studied using the multivariate regression analysis. A bivariate study of parameters responding to these indices was carried out to find out the effect of field size and shape indices on the seeding unit performance. The conducted experiment showed variation in the shift time efficiency ratio from 30.1 to 65.7% for low and variable shift time indices. Topographical features of the field significantly affect the field time efficiency factor. When designing fields it is recommended to take into account topographical features to provide suitable turn lanes for maneuvering and eliminate obstacles within the working area.

The cultivation of melons and gourds is a rather laborious process and the main costs fall on the treatment of crops from weeds and harvesting. Before the weed damage threshold is reached, three or four row spacing treatments with cultivators are required, which ensures soil compaction. The number of treatments can be reduced by loosening the row spacing 0.1 to 0.12 m with a device capable of affecting the root system of weeds. It is established that weeding out is affected by the gear ratio between the weed extractor rotors. In order to determine the optimal value of the gear ratio on the technological process, the author conducted laboratory and field studies. The distance, on which the root diggers interact with the soil, was determined in the soil channel when varying the gear ratio from 1.0 to 4.0 and the depth of cultivation of 0.05 and 0.1 m. In field conditions, the author measured the length of weed roots removed from the soil at a working depth of 0.05 and 0.1 m, at the gear ratio of 1.0 to 4.5, and with a pitch of 0.5. As a result of research, the author observed the optimum length of traces of the front sections of the digger equaling 0.35 m and that of rear ones equaling 0.08 m at a gear ratio of 4.0. The greatest length of weed roots extracted to the surface with the digger blade of 0.26 to 0.32 m was observed at a gear ratio of 4.0 and a depth of 0.1 m. It is concluded that the efficiency of tillage depends on the gear ratio between front and rear rotors and the depth of tillage. The highest weeding-out efficiency was observed at a gear ratio between the weed extractor rotors of 4.0.

Digital technologies in agriculture are relevant for managing production processes, data processing, monitoring and analyzing soil and plant conditions, and ensuring the quality and safety of products. To assess the level of digitalization and readiness for implementing digital technologies in agriculture, the authors conducted an analysis of agricultural producers in 24 regions from 8 Federal Districts. Primary data for assessing the level of digitalization were obtained from federal and regional agencies. Six indicators were considered: compatibility of machinery, equipment, and devices with digital infrastructure; number of digitized agricultural lands; number of employees who have undergone digital profile training; number of integration points with IoT devices, equipment, and cloud services; coverage area of agricultural enterprise areas by high-speed networks; number of agricultural machinery with IT equipment. As a result of the research, recommendations were given for the regions of the Russian Federation with different levels of digitalization. For effective implementation of digital technologies, regions with low levels of digitalization should actively attract and effectively implement state support to acquire modern equipment and improve digital competences. Regions with high levels of digitalization should focus on workforce training and stimulate investment provision. Regions with average levels of digitalization should concentrate on improving technical infrastructure and staff training. Further development of digitalization in agriculture requires proper financing, qualified personnel competent in IT technologies, domestic solutions for digital services and platforms, and the elimination of uneven distribution of IT resources among the regions of the Russian Federation.

The processing of fat-containing waste from meat-packing enterprises that cannot be landfilled is an urgent problem. The authors developed the technology of processing fat-containing waste in a chemical reactor in one step, without dividing the technology into two steps: triglyceride hydrolysis and fatty acid amide production. The technology for processing fat-containing waste was tested in a laboratory plant. The target product obtained was analyzed using IR spectroscopy. As a result, the structural formula was clarified, functional groups were determined, and chemical intermediates in the synthesis process were identified. The proportions of the reagents were determined: technical fat in the amount of 65.3-72.4 wt%, monoethanolamine – 14.5-17.0 wt% and boric acid – up to 100 wt% of the mixture. The reaction time was 1.5 h. The protective effect was selected as a quality control indicator of the surfactant obtained. Solvent selection was carried out for producing anticorrosive materials. I-20 industrial oil, diesel fuel and SN-150 oil were selected as solvents. Electrochemical studies carried out on the AVTOLAB PGSTAT302N potentiostat-galvanostat made it possible to determine the mechanism of action of the surfactant as a corrosion inhibitor. Its optimum concentration was found to be 15%, with a protective efficiency of 99.33%. To increase the protective anticorrosive efficiency of the surfactant, the tests were carried out in a humidity chamber for 60 days on St3 steel plates. The test results showed high efficiency of the surfactant used as a corrosion inhibitor, with the Z value of more than 90%.

When detecting faults in main bearings of the cylinder block, it is important to minimize detection errors that could result in the part being incorrectly accepted or incorrectly rejected. Incorrect rejection of a cylinder block main bearing to the left and right of the tolerance limit will result in the need to replace the cylinder block. Incorrect acceptance of the support according to the smallest size may result in a loose cap-to-support fit and possible breakage. Incorrect acceptance of the support according to the largest size can lead to a gap between the liners and their subsequent play and rotation. In order to reduce the occurrence probability of the mentioned errors during the tolerance control, the authors estimated incorrectly accepted and incorrectly rejected main bearings during detecting faults with the use of inside calipers: NI 100-160 0.01; NI-PT160-0.001; NIC-PT 160-0.002. Twenty cylinder blocks were analyzed, in each of them five main bearings were subjected to control. It is calculated that at the repair program of 1000 YaMZ engines per year the use of NI-PT160-0.001 allows to reduce losses from incorrect rejection in 2.13 times and losses from incorrect acceptance in 1.88 times as compared with the use of NI 100-160 0.01. The use of NIC-PT 160-0.002 is irrational because of the possibility of increasing losses (discreteness of counting is twice coarser than the order of the measured value). The proposed methodology can be applied in detecting faults in other engine parts: for example, in checking the inner diameter of the cylinder liner and the big end of the connecting rod.

Diagnostics of electrical components of hydrotechnical equipment used in agricultural production within the planned maintenance intervals with continuous analysis of residual resource is useful for reducing equipment operation costs. The use of inexpensive universal diagnostic equipment in conjunction with primary analysis of the state of units makes it possible to detect 60 to 80% of pre-failure states. To ensure efficient application of complex approach to primary diagnostics of electrical components of hydraulic equipment used in agricultural production, the authors considered the most common electric motors of pumping units, electrohydraulic distributors and switching equipment. Complex diagnostics included the use of a thermal imager, vibration signal processing systems and current signal control systems. The vibrograms of equipment control points were analyzed, the state of bearing units, cavitation characteristics of pumps were assessed by methods of acoustic and vibration diagnostics, hydraulic equipment leaks were searched, power cables breakdown zones were detected in accordance with methodical instructions for determining the breakdowns of power cables with voltage up to 10 kV RD34.20.516-90. The article shows the possibilities of applying the diagnostics methodology based on surface thermograms to determine typical defects. Particularly discussed are the parameters of current signals from the electromagnet coils observed in case of distribution equipment malfunction. The authors give comparative evaluation of diagnostics methods with calculated efficiency determination. It is established that the method of combined diagnostics using the analysis of external thermal fields can halve the time of preliminary diagnostics of faults with a stable forecast of the failure time 2-3 months before the critical state. This reduces the costs for detection of unit failures and simplifies the planning of maintenance procedures.

The problem of accidents occurring during the operation of electric power facilities has remained relevant for a long time. The analysis of accidents makes it possible to develop measures to improve industrial safety at agricultural facilities and electrical networks that supply electricity to agricultural facilities and enterprises. For this purpose, the authors considered accidents that occurred in power grid companies of the Russian Federation in 2014-2022. To conduct the research, they used data from Rosseti PJSC on accidents in power grid companies obtained with the Synergy Center software package. The program included data on the investigation of accidents in Form No. 1 in accordance with the order of the Russian Ministry of Labor dated April 20, 2022, No.223. The software package included 191 accidents, in which 200 people were injured for the period between 2014 and 2022. The analysis revealed 58% of fatal outcomes. The most common damaging factor, which caused 65 accidents (34%), is a breakdown of the dielectric air gap due to violation of the permissible distance to live parts by operational personnel of electric grid companies. The cause of 53 accidents (28%) was the violation of labor safety rules when working with electrical installations. The maximum number of accidents occurred from 8 am to 4 pm during the periods March-May and July-August. Of the 191 injured employees, 114 were (57%) operational personnel (electricians), 108 of them (54%) having work experience from 3 to 10 years. Conclusions are drawn about the need to introduce signaling devices and reverse transformation blocking, improve the qualifications of personnel and train them using virtual reality technology on digital twins of power grid facilities. The proposed organizational and technical measures will reduce the number of accidents in power grid companies in the Russian Federation.

The increasing demand for secondary vocational education programs has drawn even more attention to the didactic support of the continuing education programs implemented in the college-to-university transition system. Their obvious benefit is the shortened period of professional training of specialists while maintaining the highest possible quality of the University cluster, where a vocational college is the primary level of the university training. The experience of implementing secondary vocational education programs in Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy taking into account the specifics of the technical training and vocational teacher training necessitated the appropriate infrastructural modification: the establishing of the College of Technology and the Center for Technological Support of Education. The results of the questionnaire survey of students of the College of Technology confirmed the need and relevance of the development of continuing educational programs with a shortened period of study. The methodology of designing continuing educational programs consists of successive logically interrelated stages: analytical designing, verification and implementation, correction and optimization. The first stage is the most challenging and time-consuming for the program developers: it is necessary to determine the invariant component of secondary vocational and higher education, which should be taken into account to develop a continuous Bachelor program that would provide short -time training. In the subsequent stages, this program is to be implemented, evaluated and adjusted. Using this methodology, the author attempted to develop a continuous educational program for the training area 44.03.04 ‘Vocational Education and Training (Sector-Specific)’ based on the vocational college program 44.02.03 ‘Pedagogy of Additional Training (Technical Creativity Area)’. The program is intended for training vocational teachers in accordance with the requirements of the Federal State Educational Standard in a shortened time.