To reduce the content of soil impurities and minimize damage to potato tubers during harvesting, it is necessary to study the composition of the separated pile of market tubers and determine the energy of soil clod crushing. In order to identify the regularities of physical and mechanical properties of soil clods interacting with the separating working tool, the authors experimentally studied the crushing of soil clods. The crushing energy of leached chernozem soil clods with a density between 1300 and 1700 kg/m³ was determined for samples of 5 cm in size at a soil moisture of 10 to 30%. The authors used a laboratory installation with a separating rod elevator to determine the influence of the apron (the shaking frequency of the separation intensifiers) on the amount of 5-cm soil fractions formed. It was experimentally found that the material balance for separating units of potato harvesters of primary and secondary cleaning is determined by the mass of tubers fed to the separating tool and the amount of mass removed from the separating tool. The amount of mass removed from the separating tool is a stationary function of the vibration frequency of the bar elevator and the amount of product on it. The authors have developed a research methodology to determine the energy of soil clod crushing using soil sample preparation. The authors have conducted experimental studies to determine soil clod crushing energy when interacting with an absolutely solid body. It has been found that an increase in soil moisture from 10 to 30% results in an increase in the energy of soil clod crushing of 6249.18 to 10118.5 J/m³. When the soil moisture exceeds 25%, the maximum height of soil clod crushing increases proportionally up to 60.2 cm. The empirical dependence of soil clod crushing energy on the varying moisture content has been established. The research results are useful for selecting the optimal vibration frequency of the bar elevator, based on the soil moisture index, and for achieving high quality of separation.

It is an urgent task to develop the technology of surface soil loosening by compressed air based on an ultrasonic impact, because it provides volumetric loosening of the surface soil layer without a mechanical impact. The research was carried out to determine the degree of intensity of the compressed air jet impact in the ultrasonic oscillation mode on the surface layer of the loamy soil. For experimental studies, the authors made a gas-jet emitter with the axis of the outlet hole perpendicular to the axis of the impinging and reflected flow. The gas-jet emitter has the following geometrical characteristics: nozzle inlet diameter – 5.7 mm; nozzle critical orifice diameter – 2.9 mm; distance between the cross-section of the nozzle inlet and critical orifice – 5.9 mm; nozzle outlet diameter – 3.42 mm; distance between the cross-section of the critical and outlet orifices – 2.4 mm; distance between the nozzle and the resonator – 3.75 mm; diameter and depth of the resonator well – 3 mm; inner diameter of the working chamber – 12 mm; diameter of the outlet orifice – 5 mm. The reaction of the medium to the receiver pressure release in the range of 0.2 to 0.5 MPa was estimated by the depth of air jet penetration, a possibility of surface pitting, sample destruction, and the emergence of wide cracks. The authors studied soil samples with a diameter of 0.1 and a height of 0.05 m. As a result of the study, they established that at an absolute moisture value of the loamy soil of 17% and a hardness of 4.16 MPa, the depth of penetration of an air stream jet was 3 to 5 cm. The complete destruction of the soil sample corresponded to a receiver discharge pressure of 0.45 and 0.5 MPa. Surface pitting of the samples is characteristic for a receiver pressure drop in the range of 0.2 to 0.4 MPa. The articles concludes that for a gas-jet emitter with the claimed geometrical characteristics the distance between the nozzle and the resonator should be 3.75 mm, and the receiver discharge pressure should equal 0.4 MPa.

The quality of the forage affects the productivity of farm animals. Its preparation can be optimized with the use of extruders. Extruder screws are subject to abrasive and corrosive wear. Extruder screw wear is an important criterion in assessing the performance of the machine. The analysis of feed extruder production has shown that the majority of extruders and their spare parts are imported. To provide for domestic substitutes for expensive imported working tools having high wear resistance and serviceability, the authors considered the operating conditions of feed extruders and revealed the most significant causes of screw wear. They analyzed scientific publications on estimation of various parameters (structure of steels, content of foreign impurities in steel composition, steel density, temperature, heating, etc.) influencing wear resistance and corrosion resistance of feed extruder screws; particular attention was paid to the molecular structure changes of processed raw materials. As a result it is established that wear of screws is caused by the discrepancy of their geometrical and physical-mechanical parameters, increased acidity of processed mixture and peculiarities of the operation mode (increased values of the temperature of 100 to 180°C, the moisture content of fodder mixtures of 10 to 30%, and the extrusion pressure of 3 to 5 MPa). Depending on the type of fodder obtained, its chemical composition varies: protein content – from 20 to 40%, carbohydrates – from 50 to 80%, fats – from 10 to 35%. It is possible to increase the durability of extruder working tools by depositing wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant coatings on their working edges. It is necessary to develop domestic technologies and robotic means for strengthening of working tools of agricultural machines for livestock breeding. New materials and technologies are needed to solve this problem.

Pre-sowing moistening of seeds is one of the ways to control the seedlings of agricultural crops and increase the yield. Most units of cyclical operation for pre-sowing moistening of seeds use the principle of immersed moistening. However, the units of continuous operation do not fit because of the insufficient duration of the process. The most appropriate way is to develop a unit of cyclical operation with the provision of a respiratory mode by spraying the moisturizing liquid on the surface of seeds combined with the mixing process. The authors suggest a design of a drum-type unit for pre-sowing moistening of seeds. During the concept implementation at the stage of planning-technological calculations, it is very important to determine the angle of rotation of the spray nozzle, which sprays the moisturizing liquid, and the spraying time necessary for liquid application on the surface of seeds. To solve the assigned tasks, the authors carried out mathematical calculations, according to which the angle of spray nozzle rotation makes 0.39 rad for a pilot model of pre-sowing moistening with the drum diameter of 480 mm, the depth of 250 mm, the angular speed of 1.256 rad/s, and the height of seed layer corresponds to the angle of 0.42 rad. The spraying time by the interaction probability of a drop with a seed P = 0.95 makes 126.9 s. To automate and simplify calculations by the projecting of technological lines of pre-sowing moistening of seeds, the authors used the Visual C# language to make a program for calculating the angle of spray nozzle rotation and time of spraying the moisturizing liquid in accordance with the characteristics of grain material and geometrical parameters of a drum.

Pavel Mikhailovich Belyanchikov was one of the most prominent scientists who actively participated in the development of the domestic tractor industry, but remained practically unknown to the modern generation. In order to assess the contribution of Professor Belyanchikov to the science of tractors and the development of the domestic tractor industry, the author analyzed the archival materials kept in the Museum of Agricultural Mechanics named after V.P. Goryachkin, as well as scientific and technical literature and periodicals. It should be noted that Pavel Belyanchikov was one of the first in our country to develop methods, programmes and write textbooks for teaching students the construction and operation of tractors. Using the results of tractor equipment tests, he prepared for publication analytical materials that initiated the birth of the domestic science of tractor designing. His scientific and technical materials were used by E.D. Lvov when he wrote the first book in our country on tractor theory “Tractors: Design and Calculation of Parameters”. In 1927, Pavel Belyanchikov headed the jury of the All-Russian Tractor Testing Committee, which selected the best tractor models suitable for mass production in the USSR. Pavel Belyanchikov’s scientific and pedagogical activity was interrupted by repressions in 1930. As time went by, his name was no longer mentioned in publications and he gradually fell into oblivion. Remembering and evaluating the scientific outcomes of P.M. Belyanchikov’s research activity, we should note their theoretical and practical value. He laid the foundation for the “Tractors and Automobiles” discipline, determined the development trends of the domestic tractor industry and offered new tractor designs.

The main component that is most often subject to repair in auto-tractor engines is the cylinder-piston unit, the operation of which will determine the reliability and efficiency of all equipment. Currently, color marking is used for cylinder-piston groups, but this type of marking is not sufficiently informative. There is an urgent need to shift from human-readable markings to machine-readable ones. To introduce digital marking for spare parts and ensure digital transformation of repair enterprises, the authors considered the main quality indicators of spare parts of automotive tractor engines and selective assembly of “piston – cylinder liner” conjugation of ZMZ‑402 engines by ten units. When implementing the method of intergroup interchangeability of cylinder-piston units, it is rational to use machine-readable markings based on QR codes or radio frequency tags or to automate the assembly process and increase the accuracy of basic assembly conditions. The advantages of using a QR code as a machine-readable marking include low cost of equipment, fast readability of information, the ability to create a redundant QR code, high capacity, and the ability to read several tags simultaneously. Marking with radio-frequency tags (RFID, NFC) allows encoding and reading information without direct contact, it is more resistant to mechanical influences in comparison with QR code. Significant disadvantages of radio-frequency tags are difficulty in reading when the signal is shielded and high cost of implementation of this marking system. The use of digital marking will make it possible to predict demand, increase automation and ease of working with warehouse databases, increase the transparency of ongoing operations, more accurately predict the timing and cost of repairs. The use of QR codes in conjunction with the enterprise information environment (E-catalogue) will increase the collection rate during selective assembly and the probability of man-made errors.

Difficulties in the supply of machinery, equipment and spare parts and the limited financial resources of agricultural enterprises make it necessary to improve the technology and process of machine repair. Damaged radiators in the liquid cooling system of internal combustion engines are one of the most common causes of failure of agricultural machinery. In the course of the research it was found that the most common types of radiators used in cooling systems of agricultural engines are aluminum or brass-copper radiators. The main defects that occur during operation are such mechanical damages of radiators as leaks in tubes and torn off cooling plates or tapes. The most common methods of eliminating these defects are: soldering with tin-lead solders, plugging leaking tubes, pouring polymer sealants into the coolant, and taping. In the case of mechanical damage of radiators, the authors suggest the use of cold gas-dynamic spraying of the metal layer with Dimet‑405. The preliminary abrasive surface preparation is carried out with a corundum powder of K00‑04‑16 grade. The optimum spraying modes are proposed: for the A‑20‑11 powder – at the temperature of 100 or 200°C (the first or the second modes, respectively), for the C‑01‑11 powder – at 200 or 300°C (the second or the third modes, respectively). The powder feed rate is 0.3 g/s. The strength of the obtained connections is not inferior to the strength of the soldered connection made with lead-tin solders. The technology developed by the authors for sealing leaks and restoring the contact of the cooling tapes with tubes can contribute to the fast and high-quality repair of damaged radiators. Repairing radiators of the engine cooling system reduces the forced downtime of machines.

When treating grain before germination, high bactericidal effect is observed if grain is disinfected with ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. It is expedient to treat grain and seeds and disinfect food products with the help of linear irradiation sources. However, there are no studies on the determination of a linear source and its location, taking into account the design features of the considered device. Proceeding from this, the authors justified the choice of a linear irradiation source for UV treatment of grain on the belt-type unit. To implement the method of UV treatment in mobile belt-type units, they suggest a mathematical model for calculating the energy illumination from a linear source of UV radiation, taking into account the suspension height, power, length of the irradiation source and the recommended level of energy illumination of the conveyor belt not less than 9 W/m². The experiment was conducted to study the performance of the lamps of DKBU‑7 and Uniel ESL‑36 types. A UV lamp with reflector was placed at different control distances above the irradiation zone. Taking into account the design features of the belt-type unit, the authors chose the width of the treatment zone of 200 mm, the height of the irradiation source suspension of 100 mm, and the length of the treatment zone of 1200 mm. Energy illumination parameters were measured using a three-channel UV-radiometer “TKA-PKM”. The discrepancy between the calculated and experimental values of energy illumination did not exceed 5%, which proved the adequacy of the proposed model. The analysis of the distribution of energy illumination of the surface within the width of the conveyor belt showed the expediency of using a lamp of the Uniel ESL‑36 type with the power of 36 W. The use of a parabolic reflector made of etched aluminum with the size equal to the width of the processing zone is preferable.

In some agricultural processes, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) delivers fertilizers, crop protection products, water and water solutions. The drop of material objects (load) can be controlled by a microprocessor installed on the UAV by means of an algorithm-based program. The authors conducted theoretical studies to develop a mathematical model of the load motion when it is dropped from a low-flying UAV and an algorithm for determining the moment of load drop to reach a given landing point using the known flight parameters. The study identified factors influencing the trajectory of the dropped material objects and posed the problem of determining the distance from the point of load dropping from the UAV to the required landing point. The article presents systems of differential equations of load motion without air resistance and with a quadratic dependence of the air resistance force on the drop velocity. Curves are constructed to determine the moment of load drop simplistically using the velocity and flight altitude of the UAV. The equations for calculating the final horizontal component of the loads drop velocity, the tangent angle and duration of its drop, as well as the required distance are given. The arguments of the found functions are ballistic coefficient, speed and flight altitude of the UAV. The authors note the necessity of refining the obtained solutions by taking into account the dependence of the parameters of the dropped loads on the wind speed and direction, as well as precipitation and atmospheric pressure. The article presents an algorithm of automatic control of the reset of material objects dropping by an on-board eight-bit processor with cyclic implementation of the duration of incoming information processing.

The requirements for the quality of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills of agricultural engineers are increasing every year. The use of generative neural networks in the training curricula of relevant specialists satisfies both the prescribed requirements and the requirements for the level of key skills applicable to Industry 4.0 and further on to Industry 5.0. The purpose of the study was to identify the opportunities of using generative neural networks in the training of agricultural engineers. The authors consider the generative neural network as an open resource enabling teachers to design an educational trajectory in accordance with the interests and cognitive goals of the teaching interaction participants. The authors suggest using a system of activities to study the key topics of the “Computer Science and Digital Technologies” course for training major 35.03.06 “Agricultural Engineering”. The paper describes the activities supporting interactive communication, generation of diagrams, graphs and 3D models, searching for original titles, making a list of references, constructing algorithms for solving problems, etc. The authors come to a conclusion that neural networks contribute to improving the quality of training for agricultural engineers due to the following capabilities: presentation of information in various forms, automation of calculations, analysis of large amounts of data, decision support, etc. The digital teaching experience applied to the training of agricultural engineers and the updated teaching content will make it possible to apply neural networks for teaching various subject courses in the future.

The take of training specialists for high-tech agro-production, who are capable of applying project technologies to solve professional problems, requires qualified teaching staff. The use of project and research teaching methods provides conditions for students to gain initial professional experience, develop the necessary general and professional competencies, as well as contributes to their professional self-determination. The teacher’s readiness to organize project-based research activities of students ensures the quality of education. The aim of the study is to identify and justify pedagogical conditions for enhancing teachers’ readiness to organize students’ project-based research activities. The authors analyzed theoretical and practical aspects of solving the problem of enhancing teachers’ readiness to organize project-research activity The study involved 246 students of Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy. The goal was to identify the degree of the readiness of future vocational training teachers to organize project-research activities, as well as to find and test solutions to enhance this readiness. Purposeful designing the procedures facilitating the mastery of the necessary knowledge, skills and abilities, the acquisition of the experience of project-based research activity, to development of the necessary personal qualities will contribute to achieving the set goal – enhancing the readiness to organize this activity at the optimal level. The research results have shown that the designed practice-oriented environment with multiple project tasks enhancing the readiness of future vocational training teachers to organize project-based research activities within the course of “Organization of Project-Based Training” proved to be effective.