International Scientific Journals
of Scientific Technical Union of Mechanical Engineering "Industry 4.0"

The article proposes a fundamentally new design of a resource-saving, anti-erosion unit that significantly improves the quality of soil tillage in cultivating agricultural crops, improves the productivity of the plow, significantly eliminates soil erosion and reduces the fuel consumption of the tractor by reducing the traction resistance.
The construction of the unit and the principle of its operation are described in detail. It can be successfully used both in plain and in mountainous terrain.
Characteristic similarity criteria and a criterion equation for studying the traction force of the proposed unit are obtained and their physical meaning is revealed

Technological innovations and radical products that drive the whole world forward can sometimes have an impact on different areas than planned. The drones ‘ positive impact on innovative agriculture has yet to be manifested in the stages of land and seed preparation. Advanced drone technology enables realistic 3D maps to be created, leading to soil analysis and seed development. Drones successfully manage the seed planting process in the soil. Furthermore, thanks to advanced imaging techniques and special thermal sensors, which part of the field needs water and where nutrients need to be supplemented easily can be determined.

The Southern Africa Development Community countries have embarked on mechanizing their agriculture. It is envisaged on the factual basis that it leads to increased labour productivity, reduction in drudgery, creation of employment in Agriculture and other support sectors and increase in farm income. Given that the SADC Governments’ rural development focus is based on Agriculture at both small and medium scale level, this research was undertaken to uncover research based information that will inform policy during the resurrection of the agricultural mechanization endeavours. This study assessed the maintenance practices in Namibian, South African and Zambian mechanized agriculture and used the Czech mechanized agriculture maintenance practices as a benchmark. Tribotechnical Analysis was used to monitor component structural changes based on the fact that wear deteriorates mating functional surfaces of machine elements leading to poor component functional that negatively impact on the environment and the non-cost effectiveness of mechanization in SADC primary agriculture. A fleet of Massey Fergusson and Zetor tractors were sampled at 100-ltr-diesel consumption interval. Oil total contaminants and Cleveland open cup flash point method was used to evaluate the condition of the lubricant while Direct Reading Ferrograph assessed the ratio share of Small wear particles (Ds), Large wear particles (DL) and the Total Wear Particle Concentration (WPC). Extreme value showing samples from the Direct Reading Ferrograph were further investigated using the Ferrograph Analyzer.
Data were analyzed to generate a baseline based nomogram that is being used as a maintenance support tool. Upon recommendation of this study, Ferrography has been introduced as a cost effective proactive maintenance tool at the Tractor maintenance center in Zambia.

A comparison has been made of four technologies for mechanized sesame harvesting in conditions of Bulgaria. The first is one- stage harvesting with grain harvester. The second is two- stages whole-plant harvesting. The third is two- stages harvesting where the first stage is collecting the sesame capsules and the second – threshing the capsules after draying. The last technology is one – stage seeds harvest- ing while the plants are "on roots". The first technology has been recommended for large and flat fields. The third technology has been the most suitable for production of seeds. The forth technology is suitable for small-size fields. For such conditions has been elaborated a prototype which harvests sesame at a humidity which is twice times higher than the optimal for grain harvester and at several times less consumption of energy.

Oil rose production is a traditional branch in the economy of the Republic of Bulgaria and in production of rose oil the country is a world leader more than a century.

In the article the evolution and state of equipment used in oil rose growing are analyzed, the problems in the mechanization of technological operations are identified and the proposals are made for a mechanization of the only one fully rely on manual labor activity – the harvesting of rose petals.

They are investigated the main technical and economical indices of mechanized operations for sesame growing and harvesting with grain harvester. The ABC (Activity Based Costing) approach is applied for calculating all production expenses. It is determined that the application of mentioned technology is profitable when the area exceeds 53 hectars, the average yield is above 980 kg/ha and harvest losses are below 52 %. The harvest composes 9,94 % from total expenses, but the share of losses of this operation determines the economic efficiency of the whole mechanized production of sesame.