Diagnostic method and device for evaluating and forecasting the technical condition of farm machinery in operation

Abstract

The paper discusses methods and ways to diagnose the technical condition of agricultural machines and harvesters, existing practices, and approaches to get reliable data on the current health of the machinery used. The device for assessing and predicting machines’ technical condition includes software and technical means developed with virtual technologies to measure diagnostic parameters of the machinery. The main device elements are digital sensors with physical modifiers (pressure, temperature, medium composition and motion sensors, a-d converters with signal amplifiers), software to configure data gathering, and output to conduct analyses and produce recommendations. The core of the present approach is the technology of virtual prediction of breakdowns by changes in the technical condition parameters. It is based on modular devices, software with an interface that collects and processes data and provides a complete set of failure diagnostics and forecasting. The given method based on a device operating in the information and communication network increases farm machinery’s performance. Furthermore, it reduces operating costs due to the prevention of expensive breakdowns, individual forecasting, and scheduled maintenance of machines in operation. The approach under consideration was applied in the laboratory of digital engineering technologies of the Bashkir State Agrarian University Republic of Bashkortostan of the Russian Federation. The given work is aimed to boost the efficiency of the farm machinery diagnostics and maintenance system by applying a virtual breakdown prediction technology to conduct an automated evaluation, registration, and analysis of a machine’s condition. It can be achieved by developing software and technical means to register data and their structure systematization.