The article deals with the practice of operating suspended robotic feed dispensers DeLaval RA 135 in the farm “Lopotov A.N.” in the Pskov region. The disadvantages of the feeding system applied have been studied. A conceptual model of the robotic cattle feeding system is proposed which includes wheeled robotic feed dispensers, automated storage bins and a mobile feed mixer-dispenser for loading storage bins and feeding animals at feedlots.

It is necessary to obtain a dry substance by removing all moisture from it. This can be done using various devices, but the most common of them in industry and science are drying cabinets. They allow you to quickly remove excess moisture from materials by evaporation and extraction from the chambers. At the same time, it is necessary to calculate the volume of dry air and energy required for the process. To solve these problems, it is necessary to calculate the material and thermal balance of drying.They are the measurement and calculation of the amount of material and energy spent on it. The material and thermal balance of the dryer, which is air, is calculated using formulas and equations. It characterizes the initial and final mass of the substance and water that evaporated as a result of drying, and the absolutely dry mass of the substance remains constant.The authors examined the amount of moisture and substituted its value into the appropriate formula and calculated the mass of an absolutely dry substance and the amount of the resulting product. Thus, using the heat balance formula, the required volume of air for the process was determined. All calculations were performed for each model and the results were different.After calculating the material balance, the amount of energy consumed was determined. When calculating the heat balance, a theoretical and a practical dryer are distinguished. In the first case, it is assumed that during the operation of the drying cabinet there is no heat loss or its arrival from the outside. In practice, this does not happen, therefore, when calculating the thermal balance, many factors must be taken into account: the arrival of heat with the drying agent, the material itself and its moisture, transport devices and external energy sources. The energy consumption of the outgoing drying agent was also taken into account in this study.The obtained expressions of the material and thermal balance of the dryer allow us to determine the technological parameters of the drying workflow and the technical parameters of the dryer, which ultimately allows us to determine the technical and economic performance of the dryer.

A system and method have been developed for rapid testing of the abrasive wear. In this method, five samples of different materials, with different coatings, are tested at the same time. Clarity of the results is ensured during the experiments.

Аппараты для искусственного осеменения коров как отечественного, так и зарубежного производства оснащены только устройствами для дозирования семени, подсветки и мини-видеокамерами. Подогрев рабочей части для обеспечения комфортной работы в зимних условиях в этих аппаратах отсутствует. Целью исследования является разработка аппарата, имеющего подогрев рабочей части, возможность визуального контроля места ввода семени в шейке матки животного. Предложена конструктивно-технологическая схема аппарата для искусственного осеменения коров. Аппарат для искусственного осеменения содержит корпус, шприц ШО-3М, устройство для фиксации шприца, устройство для подогрева и поддержания заданной температуры рабочей части аппарата, мини-видеокамеру с подсветкой. Изображение с мини-видеокамеры непрерывно выводится на экран мобильного телефона, установленного на кронштейне корпуса аппарата. Основными конструктивными параметрами аппарата для искусственного осеменения коров являются: диаметр трубки, длина трубки, вылет кончика шприца за обрез трубки, мощность нагревателя рабочей части аппарата. В результате проведенного исследования определены конструктивные параметры рабочей части аппарата для искусственного осеменения коров: длина вводимой части трубки - 40 см, вылет кончика шприца относительно обреза трубки - 50 мм, диаметр трубки - 0,02 м, требуемая мощность нагревателя при его непрерывной работе - 7,72 Вт. Коэффициент теплоотдачи поверхности нагревателя определен с использованием критериальных уравнений.

According to foreign scientists, a few years ago, the market’s basis was occupied by robotic feed dispensers’ suspended models, that are easy operating, but suspended tracks’ installation is required. Currently, there is a global trend the wheeled robots using. The purpose of this study is implementation systems’ modern approaches that the robotic feed dispensers autonomous on cattle farms ensuring to analyze. The suspended robotic feed dispenser DeLaval RA 135, that at its working by the of special metal elements position is guided, which are fixed on the suspended path and read by an inductive sensor operation principle is considered. Wheeled robots that move along suspended tracks setting the movement direction and supply electricity serving are presented. The Lely Vector wheeled robot’s description, which is equipped with inductive and ultrasonic sensors, a gyroscope, a laser rangefinder, encoders, impact sensors is given. It is established that the wheeled robots’ most technically complex and expensive models satellite navigation systems, camerabased vision systems, lidars can use. At such implementing system’s positioning, appropriate component base’s composition selection must be carried out on the basis of the robotic feed dispenser’s operating conditions, automatic feeding system composition, its functional features etc. For a robot moving within livestock premises, it is sufficient an ultrasonic sensor and/or a combination of an inductive sensor and metal plates using.

Within the project of developing an automatic feed wagon, the initial task is to determine its overall parameters, which directly depend on the wagon volume. (Research purpose) To simulate the automatic feed wagon operation in order to determine the optimal volume ensuring the versatility of its use in cattle cowsheds accommodating different numbers of animals, and practicing different feeding frequency. (Materials and methods) The solution to the problem is based on the calculation of the feeding time taken by the automatic feed wagon. The time must not exceed the limit values established by zootechnical standards. To calculate the feeding time taken by an automatic feed wagon, a graph-theory-based simulation method was used, taking into account the probabilistic nature of the components of feed mixture distribution time balance. The calculations were performed in MS Excel. (Results and discussion) The paper describes the conditions for simulation and considers two options for the automatic feed wagon operation, in particular the option when one robot serves two cowsheds and the other when each cowshed is served by a separate feed wagon. (Conclusions) The second option with a separate automated feed wagon for each cowshed is proved to be more suitable. It has been obtained that in this case, the reduced movement length results in a 27.9-36.2 percent increase in productivity of the automatic feed wagon; besides there is no need to install automatic gates and build an insulated vestibule to move the robot between the cowsheds. Thus, the programming task becomes simplified. It has been found out that an automatic feed wagon having the volume of 2 cubic meters is enough to feed animals in the cowsheds sized 111.9 meters by 26.6 meters and smaller, accommodating up to 340 cows, and with a feeding frequency of 4-8 times a day.

The analysis of soil cultivation technologies for sowing melon crops was carried out. The design of a combined soil tillage tool capable of plowing, pre-sowing treatment and formation of irrigation furrows in one pass was substantiated. The main tillage is recommended to be done by front plow tools for smooth plowing. Plow bodies of two bottom plows should be mounted along the symmetry axis of the implement according to the lister scheme, which allows not to carry out a full rotation of soil layers and provides automatic formation of irrigation furrow. A loosening and leveling device for strip pre-sowing soil tillage in the sowing zone has been developed. The use of a combined soil tillage tool can reduce labor costs up to 25%, energy consumption for soil preparation up to 50%, reduce the duration of work, reduce soil compaction and retain moisture in the soil layer.

— Theoretical dependences are suggested to determine the optimal filler volume in wear-resistant dispersion-hardened composites in terms of the relation of the strength properties of their components. It is shown that the strength and wear resistance of the composite is determined by the component nature, structural parameters, and the strength of the interphase bonds.

A method for determining the duration of the process of preparation and distribution of feed mixtures by a mobile mixer on cattle farms, based on graph theory, is proposed. A generalized state graph of the mobile mixer is presented and its description is given. The final formula for calculating the probability of the mobile mixer being in the state of distribution of a feed mixture consisting of a different number of components is given. To check the method adequacy, time-lapse measurements were performed in production conditions. The projected durability of the mobile mixer was 92.3% (0.36 h) of the actual recorded time of 0.39 h.

Modernized design of automatic feeding carriage is suggested. The laboratory installation of the automated distribution system by using feeding carriage corresponding to the simplified scheme is developed. The description of the design and its operation principle is given. Frequency converter application in the control circuit of feeding carriage loader permitted stepless regulation of feed allowance. The test results proved that the suggested system provides allowance regulation depending on orts amount on the feed table with accuracy of +/- 1.6 %.

В настоящее время перспективной технологией для кормления КРС является использование автоматических систем кормления (АСК), функцию раздачи кормосмесей в которых выполняют автоматические кормовые вагоны (кормовагоны), преимущественно подвесного типа. Цель исследования разработка методики определения конструктивнотехнологических параметров кормового вагона рассмотренной конструкции. В работе проведен обзор существующих решений у 17 компаний, занимающихся производством АСК. В основном данные технологии распространены в Германии, Австрии, Нидерландах и странах Скандинавии. На основании данного обзора выделены основные признаки, по которым различаются предлагаемые на рынке кормовагоны. Установлено, что наиболее распространенной технологией является использование подвесных кормовагонов, в состав конструкции которых входят продольный и поперечный транспортеры и битерное устройство, а загрузка готовых кормосмесей осуществляется из стационарного смесителя. В работе схематично представлена конструкция кормовагона, взятая за основу при расчетах. Описаны существующие технологии нормирования кормосмесей животным по массе (кг/гол), а также по объему (м3/гол). Приведены примеры их реализации, и дано описание принципа работы систем, позволяющих осуществлять раздачу с учетом реальных потребностей животных и фактического наличия кормосмесей на кормовом столе. Получены формулы, позволяющие определять скорость движения продольного транспортера для каждой из рассмотренных технологий нормирования, и формула для согласования этой скорости со скоростью движения поперечного (выгрузного) транспортера. Детально рассмотрен процесс формирования слоя кормосмеси на выгрузном транспортере. Использование предложенной методики позволяет рассчитать скорости продольного и поперечного транспортеров при проектировании автоматических кормовых вагонов предложенной конструкции.Currently, a promising technology for feeding cattle is the use of automatic feeding systems (AFS), the function of distribution of TMR in which automatic feed wagons (feed wagons), mainly of a suspended type, perform. The purpose of the study is the development of methods for determining the constructive and technological parameters of the feed wagon of the considered structure. The paper reviewed existing solutions from 17 companies engaged in the production of AFS. Basically, these technologies are common in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Scandinavian countries. Based on this review, the main features that distinguish the feed wagons on the market are highlighted. It has been established that the most common technology is the use of suspended feed wagons, whose design includes longitudinal and transverse conveyors and a beater device, and loading of finished feed mixtures is carried out from a stationary TMR mixer. A schematic representation of the design of the feed wagon, taken as the basis for the calculations, is presented. The existing technologies for rationing TMR to animals by weight (kg / cow), as well as by volume (m3 / cow) are described. Examples of their implementation are given, and a description is given of the principle of operation of the systems allowing distribution to be carried out taking into account the real needs of animals and the actual presence of TMR on the feeding table. Formulas have been obtained that allow determining the speed of movement of the longitudinal conveyor for each of the considered rationing technologies, and the formula for relating this speed to the speed of movement of the transverse (unloading) conveyor. The process of formation of the TMR layer on the transverse conveyor is considered in detail. Using the proposed method allows to calculate the speed of the longitudinal and transverse conveyors when the feed wagons of the proposed structure are designed.