Agricultural Machinery Management Research Articles

Chinese Patent Review of Integrated Management System for Agricultural Machinery

Background: With the rapid development of China's economy and the accelerating process of agricultural mechanization, agricultural machinery has become increasingly popular in agricultural production activities. At the same time, problems in agricultural machinery management have gradually been exposed, hindering the development of modern agriculture. Objective: This study aimed to discuss the development trend of agricultural management and modern agriculture by analyzing and discussing the related patents of agricultural machinery management systems. Methods: The development of agricultural machinery management was summarized, and the representative patents related to agricultural machinery management systems, agricultural machinery automatic control systems, and agricultural machinery terminals were analyzed. Results: By analyzing the existing patents of the agricultural machinery management system, the paper summarized their applications in agricultural management and obtained their future development trend. Conclusion: In agricultural machinery management, we should actively adopt complementary strategies to solve various problems and improve the management level of agricultural machinery. The continuous improvement of the agricultural machinery management system is of great significance to the automation of agricultural production and the modernization of agricultural management in China.

Assessment of the technical condition of gearboxes of tractors of the Kirovets family

The article substantiates the need to develop a digital indicator for a non-selective assessment of the general technical condition of the hydraulic transmission control drive of energysaturated tractors of the Kirovets family. The analysis of the issue of reliability management of agricultural machinery is carried out.

Using and Molding of Agricultural Machinery Safety Management Evaluation based on Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process

As the level of agricultural mechanization in China continues to improve, the issue of agricultural machinery safety management is becoming increasingly prominent. Strengthening the safety management of agricultural machinery is of great significance for safeguarding the safety of farmers' life and property and the healthy development of agricultural mechanization. This paper combines the hierarchical analysis method (AHP) and the fuzzy evaluation method, and establishes the evaluation index system of agricultural machinery safety management by selecting 18 indexes from five aspects: industry management, basic situation of drivers, management of agricultural machinery, insurance coverage of agricultural machinery, and operating environment. The fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method was used to establish the evaluation model of agricultural machinery safety management, and the evaluation method was applied to Liaoning Province. The results show that the safety management level of agricultural machinery in Liaoning Province is excellent.

A mathematical model for reliability management of agricultural machinery

The article examines the current and practically significant task of managing the reliability of agricultural machinery used in the production activities of Russian Federation penal system institutions. A model for optimal management of technical maintenance and repairs of technical equipment is proposed in order to increase their reliability. Additionally, the necessary optimality conditions for solving the optimization problem under consideration are formulated. An algorithm for the numerical solution of the formulated optimal control problem has been developed, and the results of testing the implemented algorithm are presented. The implementation of the proposed approach in the form of an automated decision support system serves to solve the problem of increasing the operational reliability of vehicles used in agricultural activities of correctional institutions.

The importance of safe financial reporting with the aim of realistic management of agricultural machinery: Example of the Republic of Serbia

The importance of safe financial reporting with the aim of realistic management of agricultural machinery: Example of the Republic of Serbia

Efektivnost upravljanja poljoprivrednom mehanizacijom dodatnim angažovanjem u poljoprivrednim gazdinstvima u Republici Srbiji

Increasing the effectiveness of agricultural machinery management can be done in several ways. In this paper, author highlight the importance of using agricultural mechanization through additional engagement, and that in the largest and most numerous forms of agricultural production organization in the Republic of Serbia, more precisely within agricultural holdings. In the work, five types of agricultural mechanization were observed, in such a way that they were additionally engaged within the scope of the expansion of the basic activity of agricultural farms, within the framework of the development of rural tourism. The main conclusion reached by the authors of the study is that there is a strong influence of the effectiveness of the use of agricultural machinery, which is additionally used to perform work on agricultural farms. This was confirmed after the analysis carried out on the basis of the obtained samples of N=132, where a comparison was made of two forms of use of agricultural mechanization, i.e. standard use in 52 farms with a new form of use, in 80 agricultural farms, i.e. in agricultural farms that used the same agricultural mechanization for business needs, so-called rural tourism. The views were strengthened based on the obtained results of the comparison of the mentioned two forms of use of agricultural mechanization (p<.05) and indicate the importance of additional use of agricultural mechanization in the overall operation of agricultural farms.

Tracing the Evolution and Legacy of Professor A.P. Iofinov’s Scientific School

The scientific ideas and contribution of Professor A.P. Iofinov to the development of agricultural science remain relevant in our time. The paper emphasizes Professor August Pavlovich Iofinov’s pivotal role in the exploration of quality management and the modeling of technological processes for agricultural machines. The scientific concepts introduced by A.P. Iofinov continue to hold significance in contemporary times. Their development and application contribute to improving the operational capabilities of agricultural machinery and bolstering the overall efficiency of the agricultural industry. (Research purpose) The study seeks to consolidate historical and scientific materials about the activities of professor A.P. Iofinov and the creation of a scientific school under his leadership at the Department of Agricultural Machinery of the Bashkir State Agrarian University. (Materials and methods) The establishment and evolution of the scientific school are examined through the problem-chronological method. Scientific issues articulated by Professor A.P. Iofinov, are presented chronological sequence of their progression, moving from hypothesis to practical testing and eventual generalization in scientific works. (Results and discussion) The paper chronicles the founding and progression of the scientific school affiliated with the Department of Agricultural Machines at the Bashkir State Agrarian University, guided by Professor A.P. Iofinov. The established scientific school delved into significant research domains, including the statistical dynamics of agricultural machinery, quality management of agricultural machinery, modeling of technological processes, and yield forecasting. At present, these research areas are experiencing renewed development, with new tasks being formulated to align with contemporary trends and the latest achievements in science and technology. (Conclusions) Professor A.P. Iofinov’s works and his scientific school have given rise to the development of new algorithms and computer programs essential for automating the control processes of agricultural machinery and forecasting yields. Furthermore, they have played a crucial role in the creation of digital twins for agricultural machines, based on models of technological processes. This advancement significantly enhances the precision and efficiency in resource utilization, improves the quality of work, and boosts productivity in agriculture.

Retracted: Design and Discussion on Information Management and Control System of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment

Retracted: Design and Discussion on Information Management and Control System of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment

Life cycle management of agricultural machinery at the operational stage in the conditions of digitalization of production

In agriculture, machinery is an important production asset. Many industries manage the life cycle of machines in use with the help of EAM information systems, which reduce unproductive downtime. This is relevant for agricultural production, since there is often a low utilization rate of machine change time, and in the structure of non-productive time costs, up to 30% is downtime due to technical reasons. However, EAM systems are not popular in the domestic agro-engineering field, while they can be used to automate a set of engineering management tasks, and digital solutions based on them contain additional opportunities for the implementation of production reserves. The purpose of the presented study is to improve the efficiency of life cycle management of agricultural machinery at the operational stage using the EAM information system. The object of research is the stages of development and functionality of modern information systems CMMS and EAM, integration of EAM with digital economy tools; ways of adapting and improving EAM to the specifics of domestic agricultural production; an indicator of the overall efficiency of the OEE of agricultural machinery. The subject of research is the impact of digitalization on the functionality of EAM systems; the impact of EAM on the indicator of the overall efficiency of agricultural machinery (on the example of combine harvesters). The main stages in the development of EAM are identified, where after 2011 their integration with the tools of the digital economy is observed, which translates EAM into the category of intelligent systems for managing the technical condition of machines. Recommendations for adapting EAM to the conditions of domestic agribusiness are proposed. The reference value of the OEE indicator for ACROS combine harvesters was determined, equal to 47%, and the value in real operation is 19.1%. It has been theoretically established that when using the EAM system, the shift time utilization ratio increases by 20%, and the OEE of combines increases by 1.41 times due to the reduction of machine downtime for technical reasons.

MATHEMATICAL, SOFTWARE AND HARDWARE SUPPORT OF THE CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF THE INFORMATION SYSTEM OF PRECISION AGRICULTURE

This study analyzes the current situation of application of precision farming technologies and solutions by agricultural enterprises of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The main players and used solutions have been identified. The statistics of application, as well as the potential of use is examined. Within the framework of the analysis of the applied solutions the advantages and disadvantages of competitors in the market were determined. It was defined that the applied systems provide the possibility of remote management, but EGISTIC is more focused on the management of all processes of the farm, including the warehouse, while John Deere is focused on the management and analytics of agricultural machinery. EGISTIC offers features for warehousing and inventory planning, something not found in the base version of John Deere Operations Center. John Deere focuses on data sharing which can be important for large farms or groups of farmers. EGISTIC makes extensive use of satellite imagery to analyze field conditions which can be a great asset for identifying problem areas and planning interventions. Depending on the specific needs and priorities of an agribusiness, one system may be preferable to another. If machinery management is the main focus, John Deere might be the best choice. If in-depth analysis of field conditions and inventory control is important, EGISTIC may be more appropriate. By analyzing, the directions for research are highlighted. A conceptual model of information system for precision farming is developed. Hardware for realization of the conceptual model is possible on the basis of universal programmable logic controller of modular architecture being developed. Within the limits of the given research the conceptual model of the universal programmable logic controller of modular architecture and the structural model of the software of the universal programmable logic controller of modular architecture have been developed. The interaction with the conceptual adaptive model of information and communication system is also considered. This paper analyzes the key principles and functions of both the universal programmable logic controller and the information and communication system, as well as their possible integration within a single concept.

Investigation of the predictability of mouldboard plough draught from soil mechanical strength (cone index vs. shear strength) using finite element modelling

Prediction models for draught of tillage implements using soil variables which can be readily measured in the field are important tools in agricultural machinery management. In our previous study, a regression model for draught of a cylindrical mouldboard plough as a function of soil water content, bulk density, ploughing depth and speed was developed using a finite element (FEM) model. This study aims to investigate whether the soil physical properties could be replaced by soil strength variables including cone index (CI) or shear strength (SS) measured by cone penetrometer and shear vane, respectively. Cone penetration and shear vane tests were simulated using FEM in the soils for which the mouldboard plough draught was obtained from the mouldboard plough-soil interaction model. A 0.3 m ploughing layer was simulated either homogeneous or non-homogeneous. CI and SS, averaged over the ploughing layer, were used as soil strength variables. The best model for mouldboard draught was obtained as a function of SS, ploughing depth and speed with R2 = 0.87 and RMSE = 0.79 kN. Validation of the model with a set of experimental data reported in the literature showed that the predicted draught force lies within bounds of ± 18 % of the measured values with R2 of 0.84. The draught model could be employed with a shear vane or a combined vane-cone instrument to predict the mouldboard plough draught.

ПРОБЛЕМЫ ОБЕСПЕЧЕНИЯ СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННОГО ПРОИЗВОДСТВА ТЕХНИКОЙ С ЭЛЕМЕНТАМИ ЦИФРОВЫХ ТЕХНОЛОГИЙ И ПУТИ ИХ РЕШЕНИЯ

A study was carried out to identify the problems of equipping agricultural production with equipment with elements of digital technologies and a normative forecast for the development of technical and technological support of the industry in the context of digital transformation was developed in order to form a list of strategic measures to address them. When creating a normative forecast, the methods of constructing a tree of problems, a tree of goals and a tree of tasks were used, which are widely used in the development of strategic forecasts for the development of crop and livestock industries. The problem tree shows that the renewal and formation of an optimal fleet of agricultural machinery is hampered by the insufficient volume of production of domestic agricultural machinery, the low level of digitalization for the implementation of precision farming technologies, the control and management of agricultural machinery, the lack of necessary staffing and the high costs of creating and operating digital systems in the agricultural sector. production. The goal tree shows that in order to provide agriculture with an acceptable amount of agricultural machinery with elements of digital technologies, it is necessary to increase the solvent demand of agricultural producers, stimulate R&D, update the material and technical base and develop the production capacities of agricultural engineering enterprises, and ensure the training of qualified personnel with an IT profile for enterprises agricultural engineering and agricultural producers. The task tree made it possible to form a set of strategic measures aimed at providing agricultural production with agricultural machinery with elements of digital technologies and contributing to the transition to digital agriculture in general.

Управление техническим обслуживанием сельскохозяйственной техники в условиях автоматизации и цифровизации производства

When organizing maintenance activities for domestic agricultural machinery, paper workflow continues to dominate, which negatively affects the performance indicators and the level of operational reliability of machines. The engineering services of domestic agricultural enterprises remain beyond automation and digitalization in matters of managing the technical service of machines. The low adaptation of existing software products to the specifics of domestic agricultural production prevents the adoption of automated CMMS and EAM systems used in other sectors to manage the reliability of equipment in operation. The authors developed software with a set of functions similar to the functionality of well-known CMMS systems. The software includes Agrokompleks ASUTO in combination with the previously developed Agrokompleks Resursy warehouse management software and Agrokompleks MTP fuel management software. The automated system data model is adapted to the needs of engineering workers responsible for the performance of agricultural machinery. A practical test of the system was carried out at an agricultural enterprise with a fleet of 25 tractors. The results obtained confirm the hypothesis that the automation of engineering activities contributes to an increase in the operational reliability of agricultural machinery and a decrease in the labor intensity of managing service processes. The use of the automated system resulted in a decrease in the time spent on maintenance management by 35 to 38%, the probability of tractors having operational failure - by 26%. At the same time, the probability of tractors being in working condition increased by 1.8%. The research could be useful for the developers of EAM systems for the maintenance and repair management of agricultural machinery.

Evaluation of Agricultural Machinery Operational Benefits Based on Semi-Supervised Learning

Judging the efficiency of agricultural machinery operations is the basis for evaluating the utilization rate of agricultural machinery, the driving abilities of operators, and the effectiveness of agricultural machinery management. A range of evaluative factors—including operational efficiency, oil consumption, operation quality, repetitive operation rate, and the proportion of effective operation time—must be considered for a comprehensive evaluation of the quality of a given operation, an analysis of the causes of impact, the improvement of agricultural machinery management and an increase in operational efficiency. In this study, the main factors affecting the evaluation of agricultural machinery operations are extracted, and information about the daily operations of particular items of agricultural machinery is taken as a data source. As regards modeling, a subset of data can be scored manually, and the remaining data is predicted after the training of the relevant model. With a large quantity of data, manual scoring is not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also produces sample errors due to subjective factors. However, a small number of samples cannot support an accurate evaluation model, and so in this study a semi-supervised learning method was used to increase the number of training samples and improve the accuracy of the least-squares support vector machine (LSSVM) training model. The experiment used 33,000 deep subsoiling operation data, 500 of which were used as training samples and 500 as test samples. The accuracy rate of the model obtained using 500 training samples was 94.43%, and the accuracy rate achieved with this method with an increased number of training samples was 96.83%. An optimal combination of agricultural machinery and tools is recommended owing to their operational benefits in terms of reduced costs and improved operating capacity.

Design and Discussion on Information Management and Control System of Agricultural Machinery and Equipment

In order to solve the problem of low development efficiency of agricultural mechanization information network system, a design and discussion method of agricultural machinery equipment information management and control system is proposed. This paper introduces the technologies required to realize the agricultural machinery operation management control system: Android development technology required to develop mobile phone positioning software, Internet map API for displaying location data, and construction of agricultural machinery resource allocation model for the realization of the scheduling module. Different objective functions are set, and the model results in different situations are obtained through experimental data. The experimental data are in the case of schedulable agricultural machinery, if the target is short-distance short-distance operation, it can save time by 0.16 h, and the existing M1 model is in Changying. Village work, the work end time is about 2.5 hours; M4 and M2 models work in the Xuzhuang Village, and the work end time is about 0.5 h; M3 model works in the Jiangtang Village, and the calculation results for different goals are as follows: M1 model first dispatches short-distance operations; the M3 type is dispatched first for short-distance operations; the M4 type operating in Xuzhuang Village is given priority to dispatch short-distance and short-distance operations. According to the analysis of system requirements, each submodule of the system is designed, including the function description and realization method of the module. The history track query module, mobile phone positioning module, and agricultural machinery scheduling module are introduced in detail. Using the Android development technology required by mobile phone positioning software, the information management of user interface, server system, and database is realized, which provides conditions for the collection of agricultural machinery and equipment information and the generation of information management control.

Evaluation of Soil Characteristics for Agricultural Machinery Management and Cropping Requirements in AL Aflaj Oasis, Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia’s topographic features have great significance and impact on the diversity of physical environments for plant growth and agricultural activities. Cultivated land is at a premium in Saudi Arabia, and soil evaluation is increasingly important. Thus, the intended purpose of this investigation was to determine both the genesis and soil properties to improve the management of arid soil, which is represented by Al-Aflaj Oasis, during tillage operations. The parameters of this research output were the soil’s chemical and physical properties. Data were collected from field experiments by drilling and evaluating soil profiles using soil sampling tools. This study classified the soil of Al Aflaj Oasis, which is a part of the Najd Plateau. It analyzed the soil profile, the failure to provide nutrients for agricultural production, and the impact of spring floods, modern equipment, fertilizer management, and irrigation methods on agricultural prospects. Topographic and geological maps provided the origin of the soils in the area. The morphological description included measurements and characterization of soil horizons and boundaries, moisture status, soil texture, construction, cohesion, estimation of calcium carbonate, and other morphological phenomena. Laboratory analysis measured the soil particle size, soluble salts, calcium carbonate, organic material, electrical conductivity, and percentages of silt, clay, and sand. The soil was deep, with a coarse texture characterized as sandy to sandy clay; the gravel content ranged from 19.70 to 62.50%, with a cohesive structure at the bottom of the soil profile and slight cohesion at the surface. The soil had low organic matter content, and a hard layer of calcium existed at a depth of 100 cm. The soil was classified as arable land within a subgroup of Typic Haplocalcids. Chemical analysis showed low salinity, slight alkalinity, and high calcium carbonate (22–64%). The soil underwent a historical transformation. To enhance agricultural potential, the chemical and physical properties need adjustment by introducing organic matter, intensive deep cultivation, diversification of agricultural fertilizers, and careful irrigation management. Since recent cultivation has been limited to a depth of 100 cm, the hard calcium carbonate layer should be considered carefully. Future crop cultivation should include deep plowing (e.g., chisel and furrow plows) to fragment the solid soil structure and facilitate suitable farming practices, and the growth of plants in the lands affected by the ancient overflows of the Al Aflaj springs, such as the Al Aflaj Oasis, can be made productive and consistent with other agricultural areas.

Management of Agricultural Equipment and Machinery to Increase Food Self-Sufficiency in Musi Rawas District, South Sumatra Province

This study aimed to find out the feasibility and effectiveness as well as the role of UPJA in achieving its optimal objectives in the study area by comparing the conditions of the Service Units sourced from Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 25 of 2008. This research was conducted in Musi Rawas District, South Sumatra Province. This research was carried out from October to November 2019. Parameters to be observed in this study included the availability of the number of equipment, the rental price of farm machinery and equipment, operational performance of the farm machinery and equipment Service Business, and the UPJA development strategy. The results of this study were the management of UPJA in the irrigation area of Musi Rawas District, South Sumatra Province, which was still classified as a beginner based on a comparison of the Minister of Agriculture Regulation No. 25 of 2008 because it had not fulfilled various aspects, especially technical, economic and training management. UPJA was expected to increase income and prosperity of communities in rural areas by increasing productivity and food self-sufficiency. The UPJA’s organizational structure was formed with the objective to divide and carry out its role properly so that it can develop into productive through business activities. High tolerance levels in the study area resulted in the owners of rice fields choosing to use human power than using farm machinery and equipment.

Understanding the mechanisms of access and management of agricultural machinery in Benin

Agriculture in Benin represents a strategic asset for the country's socio-economic progress, however, there is low productivity and competitiveness within the sector. This is owing to the difficulties in accessing new technologies such as agricultural machinery. This study investigated the mechanisms of access and management of agricultural machinery in Benin. The study was conducted in 13 villages across the seven Agricultural Development Poles (PDA). It used a mixed-method approach involving semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions. Respondents were selected using a multi-stage sampling technique. A sample size of 129 farmers and 66 food processors were interviewed in the entire study area. Moreover, 26 focus group discussions were conducted; two discussions with men and women in each village. Content analysis method was adopted to analyse the data obtained from the focus group discussions while the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 23 was used to analyse the primary data collected through semi-structured interviews espousing descriptive statistics, Kendall W test, and Chi-square test. The findings indicate that the access strategies to agricultural machinery were based on social integration, farm management, and social loyalty whereas the enabling perceived factors for accessing agricultural machinery includes the donation of agricultural machinery to farmers’ organisations, the subsidisation of agricultural machinery, and the promotional offer of equipment. However, the respondents preferred the provision of services by farmers’ organisations and individual ownership as the main management mechanisms. Therefore, the study recommends the government motivate farmers through the provision of incentives, subsidies in hiring agricultural machinery, promote service centres to facilitate access to repair and maintenance of machine parts, and support extension programs to educate farmers on the benefit of using agricultural machinery in their farming activities.

Agricultural Machinery Management and Popularization and Application of New Agricultural Machinery Technology in Yunnan

Agricultural Machinery Management and Popularization and Application of New Agricultural Machinery Technology in Yunnan

Management of agricultural tools and machinery of SERASI program to improve food self-sufficiency in Banyuasin District of South Sumatra Province

This study was carried out to find out the impact of utilized and without agricultural tools and machinery (alsintan) on farmers’ income in the SERASI program to achieve its optimal goal in Banyuasin District. This research was conducted from December 2020 to March 2021 at the Food Crops and Horticulture Department, BPP (Balai Penyuluhan Pertanian-Agricultural Extension Center) Muara Telang, Tanjung Lago and Rambutan Subdistricts. The descriptive method was used in this study with the tabulated presentation. The parameters used in this study were the comparison of mechanization and conventional use, the number of available tools and machines, and the impacts of using and without using alsintan on farmers’ income. The results showed that the average income of rice farming with alsintan in three study subdistrict were IDR 22,355,500, IDR 15,400,000 and. IDR 13,250,000 and without alsintan were IDR 7,830,000, IDR 6,950,000 and. IDR 6,528,000/ha per planting season. The SERASI program increased the Crop Index (IP 300) in Muara Telang Subdistrict, and IP 200 in Tanjung Lago and Rambutan Subdistricts. This showed that the Alsintan utilizing in agricultural processing from the soil processing until the harvesting was more effective compared to the process without alsintan.