Traction Performance Research Articles

A Multi-Objective Optimization Method for a Tractor Driveline Based on the Diversity Preservation Strategy of Gradient Crowding

This study presents a multi-objective optimization method for a tractor driveline based on the diversity maintenance strategy of gradient crowding. The objective was to address the trade-off between high power and low fuel consumption rates in a tractor driveline by optimizing the distribution of driveline ratios, aiming to enhance overall driving performance and reduce fuel consumption. This method introduces a strategy for evaluating gradient crowding to reduce non-inferior solution sets during selection to ensure the uniform and wide distribution of solutions while maintaining population diversity. The transmission ratio of a tractor is optimized by varying the input of the transmission ratios in each gear, constraining the theoretical tractor driving rate, common transmission ratio, and drive adhesion limit, and introducing the diversity maintenance strategy of gradient crowding. The goal is to reduce the loss rate of driving power and specific fuel consumption as much as possible. The analysis results demonstrate that the GC_NSGA-II algorithm, incorporating the evaluation strategy of gradient crowding, achieves greater diversity and a more uniform distribution in the front end. After verifying the algorithm, the optimized tractor showed a reduction of 41.62 (±S.D. 0.44)% in the theoretical loss rate of driving power and 62.8 (±S.D. 0.56)% in the loss rate of specific fuel consumption, indicating that the tractor’s drive performance significantly improved, accompanied by a substantial reduction in the fuel consumption rate. These findings affirm the feasibility of the proposed optimization method and provide valuable research insights for enhancing the overall performance of tractors.

Biomechanical modeling of footwear-fluid-floor interaction during slips

Slips and falls are among the major concerns for public safety. Slipping risks can be reduced by ensuring adequate traction at the shoe-floor interface. The outsole design of footwear is a critical factor to maintain sufficient shoe-floor traction in the presence of slippery contaminants such as water or oil. While the role of floorings and contaminants on footwear traction has been studied widely, limited works have investigated the role of footwear outsole geometry and tread patterns on shoe-floor traction. In this work, eight footwear outsole designs and their traction performance were tested on a common flooring with water contamination, through the development of a novel fluid–structure interaction based computational framework. Induced fluid pressure, mass flow rates, and contact areas were quantified across the outsole patterns, and their effect on footwear friction was investigated. The study results were validated using mechanical slip testing experiments. The results indicated that the outsoles which had horizontal treads or untreaded heel regions can lead to drastic reduction of footwear friction. Also, contact area alone was quantified to be a poor choice in estimating the traction performance of footwear on water contaminated floorings. Such novel study results have not been reported to date, and are anticipated to provide important guidelines to footwear manufacturers to evaluate and optimize footwear tread parameters which would help in reducing the risk of slips.

Discovery and verification of traction weakening effect between multi track shoe of deep-sea miner and sediment

The commercial exploitation of the deep-sea massive deep-sea polymetallic nodules depends on the excellent tractive performance of the deep-sea tracked miner. The walking safety and trafficability of the deep-sea tracked miner are greatly influenced by the traction of the crawler with multi track shoes. The total tractions generated from the two cases of failure surface under the uniformed pressure are deduced and analyzed based on the principle of virtual power. By substituting specified parameters, the traction weakening effect of multi track shoes is discovered, and then corresponding expression is put forward and verified by comparing the tested and theoretical traction relationships based on the traction test of multi track shoes. The research results show that the height and the distance should be considered into the design in a comprehensive way because of the existence of the weakening effect. The mechanism revealing of the source of the multi track shoe tractions could help to achieve the appropriate size of the track shoe and more traction according to the different track shoe distance.

Design and Kinematic Characteristic Analysis of a Spiral Robot for Oil and Gas Pipeline Inspections

This study presents a spiral pipeline robot designed for detecting and preventing oil and gas pipeline leakages. A comprehensive analysis of factors such as spiral angle, normal force, pipe material, and operating attitude is conducted based on the robot’s mechanical model in a straight pipe. This in-depth investigation determines the optimal spiral angle, normal force, pipeline material, and operating attitude to enhance the robot’s motion stability and traction performance. Using virtual prototype technology, the robot’s traction performance is simulated under various working conditions, normal forces, and attitude angles within the pipeline. An experimental platform is established to verify the impact of deflection angle, normal force, and pipeline material on traction performance. The experimental results and simulation analysis mutually validate each other, providing a reliable reference for robot design and optimization. The spiral pipeline robot and its motion strategy proposed in this study possess both theoretical value and practical application prospects in the field of oil and gas pipeline inspection and maintenance.

Correlating tire traction performance on snow with measured parameters of ASTM F1805 using regression analysis

Winter tires sold in North America are often tested using the ASTM F1805 testing process to determine if they can be labeled with the ‘mountain snowflake’ symbol which indicates better performance for snow usage. The standard dictates the requirements for testing and necessary track preparation methodologies. In addition, the requirements of the standard dictate the range of three major conditions for tests to be carried out, namely the CTI penetration measurement, the snow temperature, and the ambient temperature. However, these parameters cannot be directly used in the simulation stage of snow modeling for better evaluation of prototypes. It is well-known that snow properties depend on a wide variety of parameters, making the creation of an accurate and robust snow material model, and, consequently, applying a simulation-based approach for tire design, difficult.This work focuses on the analysis of a dataset of five winter seasons of a 14-in. Standard Reference Test Tire on snow used to benchmark the performance of a potential winter tire. The blinded data measured at Smithers Winter Test Center were used in the analysis to train regression models for predicting the traction coefficient and evaluating the extent to which the measured parameters affect the variation in the traction coefficient. This study utilized twenty-six different modeling approaches and implementation of principal component analysis. The findings of this study highlight the relative importance of the compression and shear characteristics of the snow on the traction of the tire. It was found that regression methods based on Gaussian processes were better at predicting the traction coefficient. The study also highlights the importance of utilizing a single physical tire as the reference tire for benchmarking according to the ASTM F1805.

Simulation Analysis and Online Monitoring of Suspension Frame of Maglev Train

A maglev train is a new type of high-speed railway transportation. A high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev system is one of the typical representatives in the field of maglev trains. In order to research the levitation characteristics of an HTS maglev train, the force characteristics and operation performance of the train were researched. However, at present, there is still no research that simulates the real load situation of a running maglev train while analyzing the suspension frame. Regarding this issue, in this paper, the suspension frame is simulated and analyzed to simulate the real load situation of a maglev train. The results show that the suspension frame of an HTS maglev train can bear corresponding loads under different working conditions, and its strength and stiffness meet the requirements of use, safety, and reliability. Random irregularity in the permanent magnet track of an HTS maglev train route is inevitable, which will make the suspension frame produce a vibration response under different running speeds of the train. Vibration of the suspension frame of the train is inevitable. For the electromagnetic levitation (EMS) train, researchers considered monitoring the train status. However, at present, there is no suspension frame condition monitoring device for an HTS maglev train. In addition, the levitation height of the suspension frame affects the suspension performance and traction performance of the vehicle, and the vibration of the suspension frame during running affects the dynamic performance and safety of the suspension frame and the vehicle. Regarding the issue above, through a suspension frame monitoring system, the lateral and vertical vibration acceleration and levitation height of the suspension frame are monitored at different train speeds. The maximum value of vibration acceleration and the fluctuation range of levitation height are within the safe range. It is verified that the simulation analysis of the suspension frame of an HTS maglev train is correct, the suspension frame is safe, and the train can run safely.

Development and Optimization of Traction System for Heavy Engineering Machinery

The traction system of heavy equipment is a key part of the heavy engineering machinery and the traction ability of the heavy engineering machinery have high requirements for the overload capacity, reliability, maintainability, cost, and other aspects of the walking part. With the development of electrohydraulic technology, the traction technology of heavy equipment has also been continuously improved and the driving mode of the traction part has also developed from hydraulic driving to AC variable frequency driving. Engineering machinery is early generally driven by a fuel engine through a transmission shaft, gearbox, drive axle, and wheel reducer to complete the equipment. Heavy truck, bulldozer, tunneling machines, anchor excavators and shuttle trucks are commonly used heavy equipment in mechanized mining and rapid excavation of mines. Their traction performance plays a crucial role in improving the efficiency of working face excavation. This paper introduces the traction system of heavy equipment and compares the hydraulic drive system and electric traction drive system for them. The design scheme of the electric control system and the traction converter system is analyzed and a optimization scheme of the traction converter system is proposed. The optimized frequency converter adopts a modular assembly structure, which is convenient for installation, debugging, and after-sales service. Field application shows that the optimized frequency conversion system improves production efficiency and reduces failure rate.

DESIGN FEATURES OF CASE AGRICULTURAL TRACTORS

Leading firms and corporations - manufacturers of agricultural machinery (hereinafter referred to as companies) develop, produce, and then offer tractor models on the market in the form of construction series combining up to 40-55 models. The largest companies produce not only tractors, but also sets of agricultural machines for them, as well as entire technological complexes for processing and harvesting one or another crop. Thus, these companies act on the markets with their own product programs, which include the construction series of tractors as the most important component (Deere & Co, Case, New Holland, Massey Ferguson, etc.). Each construction series includes several (up to 10) series (families) of tractor models, identical in purpose, differing in engine power. The basis of each such family is unified aggregates and units - engines, transmissions, front and rear axles, hydraulic suspension systems, cabins, electrical equipment and other aggregates. The tractors of the construction series have a single stylistic solution of the cabin and external structure, which is a trademark. The construction series is characterized by a high saturation of models, especially in the range of small and medium capacities, which is explained by the increased demand for tractors of these capacities. The redundancy of models is especially noticeable in the design series of companies that were formed by merging companies that previously had their own design series (for example, the Case New Holland Company). Design series are built according to engine power and tractor weight, series - according to engine power, the gradation of which is determined by the number of engine cylinders and the possibility of forcing it with the help of low or high turbocharging. Often, the models of the series, and especially the series, have very little difference in engine power, which, with the redundancy of a number of models, allows companies to meet the demands of the maximum number of consumers for tractor performance and fuel consumption in competitive conditions.

A bionic mechanical foot with adaptive variable postures travelling on sand

In this study, an adaptive variable posture bionic mechanical foot is designed, which enables the transformation of different postures during the touchdown period. At the same time, the bolts at the joints are tightened to enable the non-variable configuration function of the bionic mechanical foot. A test rig was used to test the travelling and traction performance of the bionic mechanical foot at different speeds on sandy and hard surfaces. The results show that on sandy surfaces, at both high and low speeds, the variable posture mechanical foot outperforms the non-variable posture mechanical foot, especially at high speeds, indicating that the variable mechanical foot is suitable for movement at higher speeds on sandy ground. On hard ground, the traction and pedaling forces generated by the variable posture mechanical foot are essentially the same as those generated by the non-variable posture mechanical foot at low and high speeds, indicating that the travelling and traction performance of both mechanical feet on hard ground is the same. The variable posture mechanical foot is suitable for high-speed movement on sandy ground, providing a theoretical and technical basis for the design of future legged robots for efficient movement on desert surfaces and deep space soft surface environments.

A combined control method of traction and ballast for an electric tractor in ploughing based on load transfer

Agricultural tractors are significant agricultural power machines that must be equipped with different implements according to tillage requirements and operate in a complex field environment. Aiming at the problem that the traditional traction control system could not balance the agronomic requirements of tillage and high-efficiency operation, this study proposed a combined control method of traction and ballast based on load transfer. This method was used for electric tractors with a battery position adjustment (BPA) structure. The tractor-implement system model was built to calculate the dynamic loads of front and rear axles accurately. Then, a multi-objective optimization function for traction performance was constructed, and the multi-objective particle swarm algorithm was employed to solve the optimal battery pack target position. The tractor controller real-time measured the draught force and battery position data. Based on the combined control strategy, the battery pack position and the tillage depth were adjusted to accomplish the cooperative control of the active ballast system and the electro-hydraulic hitch system. Finally, a field test platform for the electric tractor was developed. Ploughing tests under the traction control method and combined control method were performed. The test results showed that the tillage depth uniformity and traction performance under the combined control method were superior to the traction control method. In particular, compared with the traction control method, the tillage depth fluctuation range in the combined control method was reduced by 30.6%, the wheel slip was decreased by 15.1%, the traction efficiency was enhanced by 3.7% and the total motor energy loss was decreased by 4.9%. This study provides a technical reference for improving the economy of energy consumption and the uniformity of tillage depth of tractors in ploughing.

Performance evaluation of tractor mounted boom sprayer on chilly crop

Chilli (Capsicum annuum L.) is an important vegetable and spice crop belongs to Solanaceae family which grown all over the world. Dried pods contain 36 gms of carbohydrates, 18 gms of proteins, and excellent source of vitamin A and vitamin C which together provide roughly 160 calories of energy per 100 gms (Narayanan et al., 1999). Area, production and productivity of Chilli in India was 7.43 Lakh ha, 19.14 Lakh Tonnes and 2576 kg/ha, respectively (Anonymous, 2018). Keeping in mind, above parameters the performance of tractor operated boom sprayer was tested on Chilly crop. Under laboratory conditions, the designed boom sprayer performed excellently at 0.90 l/min nozzle discharge and 689.5 kPa operating pressure. It was observed that droplet size, spray uniformity, and droplet density was influenced by the nozzle discharge rate and pressure of 0.45, 0.70, 0.90, and 1.35 l/min and 275.8, 413.7, 551.6, and 689.5 kPa, respectively. The Volume Median Daimater (VMD), Uniformity Coefficient (UC) and Droplet Density (DD) of the existing boom sprayer have 130.9-206.36 µm, 0.98-1.39 and 11-27 number of droplets/cm2, respectively, for nozzle 0.9 lpm and pressure 689.5 kPa. The modified sprayer has droplet sizes between 125.04 and 181.42 m, droplet densities between 16 and 27 number of droplets/cm2, and uniformity coefficients between 0.99 and 1.25 at nozzle discharges of 0.90 l/min. With the 689.5 kPa working pressure and 0.90 l/min nozzle discharge, the designed boom sprayer offers notably higher discharge and nozzle pressure in each individual nozzle than the existing sprayer.

Reactive grafting of hydroxyethyl acrylate in styrene butadiene rubber: Characterization and its effect on silica reinforced tire composites

AbstractHydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) was grafted onto styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) macromolecular chain by melt grafting method. Grafted structure was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 1H spectra of nuclear magnetic resonance. In addition, the SBR‐g‐HEA/silica composites have been studied for their improved filler dispersion through hydrogen bonding interaction at the SBR/silica interface. SBR molecular chains and the silica interface was enhanced through coupling interaction at the hydroxyl modified SBR/silica, at the same time. scanning electron microscope image of the cryo fractured surface of different SBR/silica composites and reduced Payne effect of rubber compound confirmed the silica particles have an even dispersion throughout the SBR matrix. The dynamic curves indicated the highest efficacy for wet and dry traction performances of SBR‐g‐HEA/silica composites comparing to unmodified reference sample. Meanwhile, the preparation of the composite does not need to add silane coupling agent to increase the capacity, there will be no volatile organic compounds produced by silanization reaction. Owing to the good properties such reduced energy and increased fuel efficiency, the SBR‐g‐HEA is an ideal eco‐friendly material for green tire tread.

Engineering Design, Kinematic and Dynamic Analysis of High Lugs Rigid Driving Wheel, a Traction Device for Conventional Agricultural Wheeled Tractors

Traction failure on loose terrain is common in conventional agricultural wheeled tractors due to poor traction ability and lower power transfer efficiency of drive wheels, which leads to excessive energy consumption and soil compaction in agriculture. To overcome the problem, this paper presents a new design of a rigid lugged wheel for use in field tillage operations. This wheel was designed according to field operational requirements and also provided with rubber pads for smooth on-road drives. Kinematic and dynamic analysis of new wheel designs were carried out to study how they move, how they interact with the soil, and how they generate drive force in loose terrain soil. The relationship of wheel lug motion trajectories, displacement, and velocity of the wheel relative to field conditions, different travel reduction rates, and lug penetration/wheel sinkage were analyzed. Wheel-terrain interaction and shear stress-shear displacement relationships when the wheel is driven in soft, deformable terrain were studied using classic soil mechanics principles. It is found that the component of thrust in the direction of driving, i.e., driving force, is ranged between 81.52% and 86.17%, while the vertical component is reported to be less than 30% and further decreases to 9%, which is the compaction avoiding factor. The relationships, thus developed, of wheel parameters, soil stress and thrust characteristics, and wheel drive force were derived and revealed that the traction performance, power transfer efficiency, and trafficability of tractors in loose terrain can be improved by using the newly proposed wheel. A finite element method was used to analyze the designed wheel model for structural stability and optimization. The theoretical analysis results of the new drive wheel are convincing, so further tests and field operation research are recommended for sustainable adoption.

Influence of towing position on hydrodynamic characteristics of an Amphibious Tractor

Amphibious tractors are capable of towing loads over land and water, which will save time effectively and reduce the cost of transport between water and land. Due to their smaller displacement and more fragile stability, the hydrodynamic characteristics of amphibious tractors are quite different from those of tugboats. The towing position will significantly impact the attitude and resistance characteristics of the vehicle. In this paper, the towing position of a light amphibious tractor is thoroughly investigated, in order to improve hydrodynamic characteristics and reduce energy consumption of vehicles. First of all, the towing force effect is researched based on the force equilibrium model. Secondly, a numerical model is established referring to the Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes method, which is validated by towing experiments. Moreover, various towing position forms are evaluated to research the towing effects and working principles. Eventually, a coupled model of pitch and heave motion is established to investigate the dynamic response in the longitudinal plane. Results indicate that towing positions at the rear of the vehicle, combined with low height, are conducive to the hydrodynamic performance of amphibious tractors.

Validation of relationships between tractor performance indicators, engine control unit data and field dimensions during tillage

In order to improve the efficiency of tillage and reduce the impact of the tractor on the environment, it is important to scientifically understand the relationship between the dimensions of the cultivated field and the operational indicators of the tractor. The purpose of this study is to find a numerical relationship between tractor tillage performance indicators (tractor working time efficiency, work efficiency, fuel consumption, engine power utilization), engine control unit data and field dimensions. A numerical relationship between field dimensions, tractor performance and engine control unit data were obtained by combining two methods to calculate tractor time efficiency. The first method was to calculate the time efficiency value of the tractor using the “load profile” data from the engine control unit. In the second method, the time efficiency value of the tractor was calculated from the average working speed, the working width of the implement, the field area, its average length and width at the widest point. It was found that the performance of the tractor when working in the soil correlates quite well with the time efficiency according to the linear dependence and with the average length of the field according to the exponential dependence.

A Novel Computational Model for Traction Performance Characterization of Footwear Outsoles with Horizontal Tread Channels

Slips and falls are among the most serious public safety hazards. Adequate friction at the shoe–floor contact is necessary to reduce these risks. In the presence of slippery fluids such as water or oil, the footwear outsole is crucial for ensuring appropriate shoe–floor traction. While the influence of flooring and contaminants on footwear traction has been extensively studied across several outsole surfaces, limited studies have investigated the science of outsole design and how it affects footwear traction performance. In this work, the tread channels of a commonly found outsole pattern, i.e., horizontally oriented treads, was varied parametrically across the widths (i.e., 2, 4, 6 mm) and gaps (i.e., 2, 3, 4 mm). Nine outsole designs were developed and their traction, fluid pressures, and fluid flow rates during slipping were estimated using a mechanical slip testing and a CFD-based computational framework. Outsoles which had wider tread (i.e., 6 mm) surfaces showed increased slip risks on wet flooring. Outsoles with large gaps (i.e., 4 mm) exhibited increased traction performance when slipped on wet flooring (R2 = 0.86). These novel results are anticipated to provide valuable insights into the science of footwear traction and provide important guidelines for the footwear manufacturers to optimize outsole surface design to reduce the risk of slips and falls. In addition to this, the presented CFD-based computational framework could help develop better outsole designs to further solve this problem.

Dynamic Traction of Deep-Sea Polymetallic Nodule Collector

The ocean is extremely rich in mineral resources. To cope with the shortage of land mineral resources, countries are focusing on the development of deep-sea mineral mining technology. Owing to its superior traction performance, the deep-sea polymetallic nodule collector (DPNC) has become the preferred solution for ocean mining. This paper proposes a dynamic traction calculation model to address the shortcomings in the classical static traction calculation model with consideration of the dynamic variation rule of grouser–soil interaction in the DPNC process. Lab tests were conducted to formulate materials similar to deep-sea soil, and the corresponding shear stress–displacement models were established using the discrete element method (DEM) and Magic Formula to describe the “shear stress–displacement” relationship more accurately. Considering Kunlong 500, which is a Chinese DPNC, as an example, the periodicity and dynamics of the dynamic traction force were analyzed and compared with the numerical simulation results. The dynamic traction force was smaller than the static traction force and fluctuated significantly when considering the dynamic grousers–soil interaction. The magnitude and fluctuation of the dynamic traction force were influenced by the ratio of the grouser height to the spacing. In the DPNC design, the ratio of the grouser height to the spacing should be optimized according to the properties of the deep-sea subsoil to improve the traction performance and stability of the DPNC.

Gradeability of a Forwarder Based on Traction Performance

Based on the knowledge of the dimensional and mass features of a forwarder, a model was developed to assess its mobility during timber forwarding uphill in a safe and eco-efficient way. The model is based on knowledge of the position of the forwarder’s centre of gravity, its declared payload and the length of the loaded timber, as well as the gradeability for uphill timber forwarding based on the traction characteristics of the vehicle. The model connects two research approaches, (1) vehicle–terrain approach (distribution of axle loads depending on the longitudinal terrain slope) and (2) wheel–soil approach (estimation of the traction characteristics of the forwarder based on the wheel numeric), concerning previous research: (i) underload on the front axle of the vehicle, (ii) overload on the rear axle of the vehicle, (iii) permissible tire load, (iv) minimal soil bearing capacity, (v) wheel slip. Simulation modelling for the assessment of the forwarders’ mobility range during timber forwarding uphill was conducted on an example of an eight-wheel Komatsu 875 forwarder, with a declared payload of 16,000 kg, equipped with 710/45-26.5 tires, for which the position of the centre of gravity was determined by the method of lifting the axle. The results of the distribution of the adhesion load on the front and rear axles of the forwarder indicated that, during timber forwarding of 16,000 kg and 4.82 m long hardwood logs on a terrain slope below 68%, there is no critical unloading on the front bogie axle, nor overloading on the rear bogie axle, i.e., wheel tire overload that could limit forwarder mobility. For the specified range of longitudinal terrain slope, a minimal cone index of 950 kPa for an exemplary forwarder is an environmental factor and was calculated based on the nominal ground pressure of the reference (heavier loaded) rear wheels of the vehicle. The forwarders’ mobility range was determined by the intersection curves of the gradeability (based on forwarders’ traction characteristics at wheel slip of 25% vs. cone index) and the curve of the minimal soil cone index.

Design and Dynamic Characteristics Analysis of Novel Support Adjustment Mechanism of Wheeled Downhole Tractor

Conventional design method of the downhole tractor is based on cementing casing, which is only suitable for the smooth wellbore. For the open hole well, the conventional downhole tractor has poor adaptability and even cannot work normally. In order to improve the obstacle surmounting performance of the wheeled downhole tractor (WDR) and expand the application range of the WDR, a double push rod-double spring support adjustment mechanism (DPRDSSAM) is proposed in this paper. Meanwhile, the proposed DPRDSSAM also needs to increase the traction force and the stability of the WDR in the open hole well. Kinematic simulation numerical models of both conventional support adjustment mechanism and the DPRDSSAM are established. The two models comprehensively considere the influence of different obstacle forms and sizes on the obstacle surmounting performance of the tractor. The influence of different obstacle forms on the obstacle surmounting performance of DPRDSSAM and single push rod support adjustment mechanism (SPRSAM) is analyzed. Results show that the DPRDSSAM has better obstacle surmounting performance than the SPRSAM. The DPRDSSAM can effectively promote further research and application of the tractor in the open hole well.

The evolution of design of general purpose tracked tractors

BACKGROUND: The most important task, that supported the formation of mechanized agriculture in the 192030s, was the creation of domestic tractor industry. The Stalingrad (Volgograd) Tractor Plant, being the flagship of this important industry for many years, played a fundamental role in its development. AIMS: Justification of the relevance of the tractor industry creation within the process of the country industrialization. Analysis of the advantages of tracked tractors in comparison with wheeled tractors, justification of need for their mass production, determination of trends in the development of technical and operational characteristics of general purpose tracked tractors. METHODS: Analysis of the evolution parameters of the design of tracked tractors, produced by Stalingrad (Volgograd) Tractor Plant throughout its operation years, analysis of technical specification of the ten highest performance tracked tractors, produced in different years by this enterprise. RESULTS: It is found that the first tracked models were based on wheeled tractors, met the operation requirements in the soil and climate conditions of our country in the best way, as well as satisfied the need for the use of such machines for military purposes. The importance of using the energy saturation indicator as the main factor of the tractor performance at increased velocities is justified; the graph of behavior of this indicator, depending on production year, is given and trends of its further growth are noted. CONCLUSIONS: The energy saturation of tracked tractors, produced by the plant for 55 years, has increased by 1.85 times, from 7.5 to 13.91 kW. The experience of Volgograd tractor manufacturers should be analyzed and used in order to identify patterns, trends and modern directions of the tractor technology development.