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Доктор филос. наук ЛАДИСЛАВ НОЗДРОВИЦКИ Доктор филос. наук МИРОСЛАВ МАЦАК [email protected])
СОВРЕМЕННЫЕ ТЕНДЕНЦИИ В СЕЛЬСКОХОЗЯЙСТВЕННОМ МАШИНОСТРОЕНИИ И В ОБЛАСТИ ЧЕЛОВЕЧЕСКИХ РЕСУРСОВ В СЕЛЬСКОМ ХОЗЯЙСТВЕ СЛОВАЦКОЙ РЕСПУБЛИКИ
В связи с широкой реструктуризацией сельского хозяйства Словакии произошли значительные изменения в сфере занятости. Общее количество сотрудников сократилось (положительное изменение) и структура системы образования также изменилась (отрицательное изменение). В то же время мы можем наблюдать сильное ускорение технического развития и наличия более сложных машин и оборудования, поддерживаемых информационными технологиями. Постепенно появляется дисбаланс между техническим уровнем техники и образовательного уровня человеческого фактора. Сокращение численности работников, использующих оборудование, не компенсируется за счет увеличения числа рабочих, имеющих более высокие навыки. Человеческий фактор становится тормозом на использование преимуществ современных машин. В статье приводится представленный документ, ключевые факторы, определяющие требования оператора и менеджера в области механизации сельского хозяйства. Тенденция развития людских ресурсов, системы образования и подготовки, адаптированной к потребностям современной сельскохозяйственной техники и технологий также учитывается.
Для изучения роли человеческого фактора на современном этапе развития механизации сельского хозяйства были предприняты следующие шаги:
1. Определение основных факторов, влияющих на систему механизации сельского хозяйства.
2. Характеристика тенденций развития человеческих ресурсов в условиях словацкого сельского хозяйства и оценкой их влияния.
3. Характеристика тенденций развития техники (случай зерноуборочного комбайна John Deere).
4. Спецификация направлений в развитии управления механизированных производственных систем.
В статье проанализированы тенденции в развитии человеческих ресурсов в сельском хозяйстве и дается оценка их воздействия. Характеризуется соотношение между текущими тенденциями в области людских ресурсов и сельскохозяйственной техники и отрицательные экономические последствия на сельскохозяйственные предприятия. Характеризуются тенденции в развитии управления механизированных производственных систем: обмен информацией и общения между субъектами, участвующими в процессе производства.
Professor, doctor of philosophy LADISLAV NOZDROVICKY Doctor of philosophy MIROSLAV MACAK.
(Ladislav. Nozdrovicky@uniag. sk)
CURRENT TRENDS IN AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING AND IN THE AREA OF HUMAN RESOURCES IN AGRICULTURE IN SLOVAK REPUBLIK
Slovak University of Agriculture inNitra, Faculty of Engineering, Department of Machines and Production Systems, Trieda A. Hlinku 2, 949 76 Nitra, Slovak Republic
Agricultural engineering; technology development; human resources; education
When analyzing the current situation in the Slovak agriculture we can observe the phenomena of many contradiction between the change in ownership, the atomization of production, creation, transformation
and disappearance of large number of subjects of agricultural and food complex and significant slowdown or even halt of the renewal of technical basis. The function of the subjects involved in farming is negatively affected by the significant slowdown or even halt of financial flows in product vertical, decreasing of the acreage of cultivated land, difficulties in selling products and reduction of the overall production. There is also the fact that the level of EU support in Slovakia was the lowest among the former V4 countries. Reducing the number of qualified workers and decreasing the educational level can be considered as special problem of the Slovak agriculture (Green report, 2012). In the given conditions Slovak farmers are facing the problem how to be competitive on the European food market. This competitive environment was created due to the action of many factors. These factors may include in particular the liberalization of market conditions and the overall change in agricultural policy which has retreated from the concept of food self-sufficiency. Environment of the European continent, despite considerable differences between regions are characterized by an overall surplus of agricultural products with very good quality and low price. After joining the European Union agricultural policy implemented in Slovakia is strongly influenced by the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union
When looking for the ways how to succeed in a challenging competition of food producers it is necessary to direct the technical development in a direction that will allow to reduce production costs. This objective must be related to main production factors acting in the sector of agriculture. In relation to these facts Rijk, 1999, characterized the dimensions of strategy of development of mechanization of agricultural production and defined the driving forces of its development. Special attention was paid to the processes of adoption of new production technologies allowing to decrease the labour requirements and increase the productivity and efficiency. He has stressed that the technological systems bringing greater effects in terms of higher productivity, lower unit costs, labour savings put higher demands on management, intellect of production managers, but also machine operators, their knowledge and skills. Lammers, 1999, has analysed the most significant prerequisites for effective transfer of new technologies into agricultural production. Among those prerequisites the human factor plays an important role together with the suitable infrastructure and availability of funds. The ability of human factor to accept new knowledge arising from research and development depends upon education and skills of farmers, machine operators and production managers. Readiness of the human factor for the transfer of new advanced technologies into practice in many respects is determined by age of workers, but it must be taken into account that this readiness is decreased by the increasing age of personnel. At the same time the effectiveness of new technologies is decreasing. Srivastava, Goering, Rohrbach, Buckmaster, 2006 have defined the current trends in development of individual groups of farm machines and characterize the specific role of human factor (machine operator or production manager) in the chain of technology transfer represented by new machines and equipment. As a result of the negative impacts of global climate changes the phase of food surplus has ended and again it is necessary to prefer such technologies which will allow to increase yields per hectare production per worker with respect to the environmental constraints. According to S or ens en and Bochtis, 2010 new advanced machinery will require more sophisticated methods of management.
Based on the analysis of general findings and knowledge related to relations between the technical progress and technological advances in agricultural production and the level of human resources, the requirements of modern agricultural machinery on the knowledge, skills and training will be specified. The paper will be focused of the role and position of human factor from the point of current situation in the development of agricultural mechanization in Slovakia. Material and methods
In order to study the role of human factor at the current stage of development of agricultural engineering the following steps will be taken:
1. definition of the basic factors effecting the system of agricultural engineering,
2. characterization of trends in the development of human resources in Slovak agriculture and assessment of their impact,
3. characterization of trends in machinery development (case of John Deere combine harvester).
4. specification of the trends in development of management of mechanized production systems. Results and Discussion
1. Definition of basic factors effecting the system of agricultural engineering:
When analysing the current trends acting in the resort of agriculture it is necessary to define the key factors. As key factors there can be considered:
• perspective orientation of Slovak agriculture with regard to the EU Common Agricultural Policy,
• the extent of support and subsidies from Slovak government until the year 2013, when significant change of financing the EU agriculture is expected,
• the requirements to reduce production costs and increase the profitability of agricultural production,
• development of employment in the sector of agriculture and food industry,
• diversion from the philosophy of achieving "the maximum yield" to philosophy and preference of "maximum efficiency" cropping systems and livestock breeding,
• compliance with environmental rules in agronomic practice.
2. Trends in the development of human resources in Slovak agriculture and assessment of their impact The area of agricultural machinery can be considered as a sector which significantly effects the
efficiency of agrotechnical, agrobiological and agrochemical processes related to the process of the production of farm products and their processing. Function efficiency of this system being a part of the European agriculture depends upon technical and technological capability of the key factors and also on the ability to respond to external effects of the competitive environment. As an important key element the human resources can be uniquely considered.
According to the Labour Force Sample Survey(LFSS), the agricultural sector (agriculture, crop growing, animal keeping, mixed agriculture) in the year 2012 employed 54700 persons, of which 77.1% were men and 22.9% were women. The decrease in the number of workers in agriculture continued in 2012 as well. The year-on drop was 1.7 thousand people, representing a decrease of 3.3% to a total of 50.4 thousand workers4). This decline was caused by the economic crisis and a slowdown in agricultural production.. As regards the working status, most numerous were employees (92,2%), followed by entrepreneurs (7,6%). This structure of working population in agriculture has not stabilised over the past three years. The share of medium and older age employees has grown (Table 1). The number of workers with basic education has dropped down as did the number of those with vocational training and secondary education, and the number of persons with university education has decreased (Table 2).
Table i Age structure of employees in Slovak agriculture, %.
Age group Year 2011 Year 2012
15-34 years 17,2 16.2
35-49 years 36,4 39,7
50-59 years 40.5 37,4
60 years and more 5.9 6,9
Source: SO SR, Labour Force Sampling Survey, 2013
Table 2 Education structure of employees in Slovak agriculture, %.
Type of education Year 2011 Year 2012
Primary education 10,2 15,9
Basic vocational education 46,6 37,9
Secondary without graduation Complete 3,9 3,0
secondary with graduation 2,5 6,1
Complete secondary, general 1,0 2,3
Complete secondary, professional 25,6 28,0
Advanced professional 0 0
Bachelor's level degree 0 0
Master's level degree 10,2 7,6
Source: SO SR, Labour Force Sampling Survey, 2013
The employee structure by age experienced a substantial year-on-year decline in the number of employees in the age of 20-49 - by 5,744 (13.7%) and the share of employees aged 55-64 increased by 1.7 %). The number of employees in younger age dropped down against an increase in the number of persons in oldest age groups. Almost two thirds (61.5%) of all employees in agriculture were older than 45 years. The age structure of the employees in agriculture continues to worsen and the share of young generation is on decline.
Figure 1 Relation between the current trends in resort of human resources and farm machinery
(case of Slovak agriculture)
According to LFSS, the changes (2011/2012) in employee structure in terms of education experienced a substantial year-on-year decline in the group of employees with basic education (by 1,030 persons -9.7%). The same trend can be seen also in the group of employees with complete secondary vocational education (decrease by 815 persons - 3.5 %).
The farming sector (crop production and animal production) employed 34,444 natural persons in 2012 (average registered number) in organizations with 20+ employees; which was 4,156 persons less than in 2011. The year-on-year decline in the number of employees was 5.1%
Changes in the structure of the workforce, in terms of education, according to the LFSS showed decline in the share of workers with vocational education, especially men. This trend is reflected in the form of reducing the available number of operators of agricultural equipment. The share of workers with complete secondary education with a predominance of women has slightly increased the proportion of workers with tertiary education, where men greatly predominated.
Figure 1 illustrates the relation between the current trend in the area of human resources and farm machinery (case of Slovak agriculture). It can be seen that lack of qualified operators of the farm machines and farm managers leads to an insufficient use of technical potential of the modern and sophisticated machines. The result is low profitability and low return on investment. The final result is very adverse economic impact on the agricultural enterprise (farm) and its competitiveness. All the above mentioned trends can be considered as very negative because they cause a poor ability of the area of agriculture to absorb the new more efficient production technologies supported by information technologies. Aging of human resources can result in retrograde factor for further development and implementation of new technologies.
From the point of Slovak agriculture as a the negative trend can be considered also the decrease of interest of young people to study Agricultural Engineering study programme, at the Faculty of Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra. The number of enrolled students and number of graduates during the last decade is presented in Figure 2.
с Ф TJ 3
Ф -Q
250
200
150
100
50
—REC GRAD
-i-1-1-f-1-i-i-1-1
1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016
Years
Figure 2 Number of students in the Agricultural Engineering study programme at the Faculty of Engineering, Slovak University of Agriculture, ENROL - number of enrolled students, GRAD - number of graduates .
3. Characterization of trends in machinery development (case of John Deere combine harvester) In the last years the design of key farm machines has dramatically changed. We can see such trend on the case of combine harvesters. These machines are largely the result of the investment into research and development, as well as manufacturing technologies. The trends in development of combine harvesters are focused to create better working conditions for operators. It means that there is permanently improved both the system of combine harvester control and machine serviceability and infield reliability.
The comfort of the operator in the cab was significantly improved. The large area of the front window provides wide, unobstructed view to the front of the feeder house and full width of the platform. The cab is air conditioned and equipped with the automatic temperature control, all controls are logically arranged, etc. Generally speaking the cab of the modern combine harvesters has been designed to give the operator ultimate in comfort, visibility, ease of operation, and harvest control. Using of electronic hardware systems and computer software for the monitoring and control of the functions of combine harvesters mechanisms have allowed to increase either the performance of the combine harvester and operator. The operator in the cab is isolated from the outside environment and in the comfort working conditions and he can pay his attention to the control of the machine.
Better working conditions in the cab of the combine harvester allow to reduce physical and psychical load of the operator. The result is less fatigue and higher operator performance during the whole working day. At the same time, the cab of such machine as combine harvester has new systems, requiring to control the higher level of knowledge and skills of the operator. These changes can be presented on the example of combine harvester John Deere S690i.
The new John Deere S690i-Series combine harvesters are available with intelligent, innovative and integrated features: AutoTrac Assisted Steering, HarvestSmart Automatic Feedrate Control and HarvestDoc Automatic Field Documentation software. All these features are designed to help the operator and manager better manage information, machine utilisation and increase overall profitability.
• AutoTrac uses satellite navigation signals to steer combine harvesters with reduced overlaps to ensure that combine finish each pass with a full platform increasing the productivity.
• HarvestSmart Automatic Feedrate Control continually adjusts the combine forward speed until either machine capacity limit or grain loss limits are reached.
• HarvestDoc automatically collects all harvesting data such as grain yield and grain moisture content for lateral documentation and analysis.
- Contact between the operator and different mechanisms is carried out by sophisticated displays:
• HeaderTrak display,
• Automatic Combine Adjustment (ACA),
• VisionTrak display,
• Triple display Tachometer.
Lets characterise the function of the above systems:
a) TouchSet automatic combine adjustment (ACA) is in base equipment on S-Series John Deere combine harvesters. With the selection of a crop and the touch of a button, the ACA will adjust threshing rotor rpm, cleaning fan rpm, concave clearance, main chaffer opening, and sieve opening. There are 25 factory crop settings available. In addition, one customised set of adjustments can be stored for each of these by the operator.
b) HeaderTrak display provides the operator with information on the header functions: active resume button, HeaderTrak operating mode, stubble height or ground pressure and the tilt angle of the header. HeaderTrak display is a part of a system which allows the operator to maintain an even stubble height. There are three resume buttons and they can be programmed in order to return preselected header height for long stubble crops, to maintain a preset header ground pressure for perfect contour following in laid crops, etc.
c) VisionTrak display lets operator to monitor and control the performance of the cleaning shoe (left vertical bars) and separator (right vertical bars) independently or together. Horizontal bar shows tailings volume. Such way of monitoring gives cleaner idea of shoe and separator performance to help maximise grain savings.
d) TRIPLE DISPLAY Tachometer allows operator to monitor three functions simultaneously. In addition to ground speed of combine harvester (which is always shown on the top line), operator can select engine rpm, cylinder rpm, concave clearance or cleaning fan speed. Any time operator touch or adjust any monitored combine function, it's automatically displayed on the bottom line.
e) Optimisation of the threshing regime of the combine harvester is provided by the system Harvest Smart Automatic Feedrate Control (HSAFC) which controls the combine's speed, based on the amount of crop material coming into the machine (Capacity Mode) or the amount of material being lost (Smart Mode).
Though used successfully since 2005, pairing Harvest Smart with ProDrive boosts overall efficiency. System Harvest Smart determines a speed increase or decrease, ProDrive ensures that the speed goal is achieved. The monitoring systems to reliably operate and provide reliable information must be calibrated in a well-defined moment. Usually the calibration procedures must be performed before first use, when replacing any of the sensors or as required. For example the HEADERTRAK calibration procedure must be performed before initial use or when the HEADERTRAK sensors are replaced (sensor of stubble height or sensor of header ground pressure) or when the display is not accurate. This procedure calibrates the lateral tilt angle sensors.
On the combine harvester John Deere 9880i STS it is possible to identify 16 basic calibration procedures, which are very important for the proper combine harvester functions. Using the system for the optimisation of the regime of threshing mechanism Harvest Smart Automatic Feedrate Control extends the number of calibrations actions.
Among the basic calibration procedures can be considered:
- header calibration and header width calibration,
- HEADERTRAK lateral angle sensor calibration,
- float calibration,
- concave sensor zero calibration,
- machine harvesting threshold calibration,
- field area counter clear calibration,
- remote shoe adjust user calibration,
- tailings monitor calibration,
- straw chopper deflector vane angle calibration, etc.
The calibration itself is performed on the monitor keyboard by using the well-defined series of steps (pressing the buttons as instructed). Systems of the combine harvester requiring the use of calibration procedures substantially increase the demands on the intellect, skills and knowledge of the operator. The operator must be able:
- to know the function, design and engineering principles of all subsystems used on combine harvester,
- to understand the importance of implementing of the calibration to ensure proper function of sophisticated systems of the combine harvester,
- to perform the calibration procedure accurately, timely and in the right way.
It is very important to comply with the conditions of calibration of particular combine harvester system as it allows to obtain information necessary for the proper machine control from the point of the work quality. Specifically this means that by correct and timely information it is possible to decide on the exploitation of combine harvester, representing the substantial investments.
Harvest of the cereal crops can be considered as a good example of the complex system, having high demands on human resources. The field with the cropstand is an unit environment in which the combine harvesters are used to harvest the grain. Each field can be characterized by the following parameters:
- size of the field, - type and sort of cereals,
- slope of the field, - yield of the grain and straw,
- shape of the field, - grain moisture content, etc.
- soil conditions,
For the harvest of the cereal crops there are used combine harvesters as a part of production system. This system includes also human resources operating at three levels.
1.level: Farm production manager. Farm production manager makes decision about the ways of machine exploitation, about the organization of the work with regard to the weather condition, grain moisture content and other factors. He uses his knowledge, skills, information and experience to choose the appropriate combine harvester from the following point of view:
- type of combine harvester and its price,
- combine engine power,
- header working width,
- type and capacity of the key mechanisms,
- type of options,
- expected annual use of the combine harvester, etc. 2.1evel: Combine harvester operator. Combine harvester, which was acquired to the farm on the basis of production manager decision is allocated to a certain operator, who is responsible for the exploitation of the machine during the harvest operation. The operator has certain knowledge, skills and training, which allows him to use the available technical and technological potential of the combine harvester, which represents some incurred capital costs. The role of the incurred capital is to bring the profit to the owner. 3.level: Technician. Combine harvester as complicated machine needs technical maintenance, exchange of worn machine-parts, adjustments of different mechanisms, diagnostics of electronic units, repairs, etc. All these procedures require specific knowledge, skills, training and experience.
The exploitation of the combine harvester during harvest is affected by different factors (organization of the harvest process, reliability of the machine, level of technical maintenance, availability of spare parts, weather conditions, etc.). All these factors depend upon the human factor, because it is the man who through his decisions affect the level of use of technical and economical potential of the combine harvester. As a result of the above mentioned factors there can be considered total machine cost and work rate. The more complex and sophisticated a combine harvester is, the higher demands are placed on knowledge, skills and experience of the farm production manager, operator and technician.
Inexperienced farm production manager, operator or technician can cause insufficient exploitation of the combine harvester capacity, with very negative economical consequences (high machinery costs, high fuel consumption, low grain quality, high maintenance costs, etc.). In general it means financial losses.
4. Specification of the trends in development of management of mechanized production systems. Nowadays we can see continuous improvement of design of agricultural machinery, the use of new advanced production technologies, but also gradual penetration of information technology in process of control and management. The following factors acquire special importance:
exchange of information and communication between the subjects participating in the production process, delivery of inputs and sale of outputs, managerial decision making and skills, using adequate and early information. Managerial system based on using information technologies and computers create the chances for permanent improving and higher effectiveness of the functions of agricultural production systems. The basic reason that the information technologies play such an important role is the fact that they can be considered as a key tool allowing the producers to optimize their production from the point of efficiency, costs and profitability. It can be expected that in the near future agriculture will be established as an integrated management system, which connects producers with suppliers of inputs, customers and state administration. An important feature of an integrated management system will also be reducing negative impacts of agricultural production on the environment.
And now we can ask what is the role of agricultural mechanization in this process? In large-scale conditions, which are typical for the prevailing part of the Slovak agriculture, the issues of agricultural machine exploitation, machine scheduling and monitoring are very important from the point of cost reduction. Using of modern navigation equipment, guidance systems, mapping systems and adequate data processing allows to obtain very accurate surveys and reviews about using machines on the fields and during working days. These tools provide a starting platform for the formulation of effective management decisions. The machines moving on the fields can be considered as basis units producing very important data from the point of farm management. And therefore we should not be indifferent to the education level of farm production managers, machine operators and technicians.
There is a growing importance of effective management of agricultural production provided by farm production managers. It is very important to correctly provide financial planning and utilization of financial resources. The changes in prices and pricing instruments and pricing policies require that management of funds is informally aligned to the changes in the production system. The role of farm production manager will be to compare the planned and real values, to monitor production process deviation, to evaluate the profitability and viability, as well as to evaluate return on the capital funds. These tasks are of great importance both in terms of the production process, as well as for management of the farm as a whole. Taking into account the above findings it can be asserted that the human factor will play a key role in the whole system, whereas the quality of its decisions will determine the effectiveness of system operation in which it operates. Activities of the farm production manager, managing agricultural technologies and machines will be linked to a higher system, which can be described as an Agricultural Management System
functioning within the farm. For the needs of the effective management of the farms there are created a comprehensive professional software products consisting of several subsystems. Such approach has been used on the modern agrocompany AGRODIVISION Selice, located in southwest Slovakia. The company consists of three farms and it is farming on the area of 4500 ha in maize growing region having a 32 mobile units (high-powered tractors, combine harvesters, forage harvesters, self-propelled loaders, self-propelled sprayers, etc.). The company has introduced its own AgroCont information system with the aim to achieve the higher level of farm management, Urbanovic, 2010. The structure of the AgroCont information system and its relation to human resources is presented on the Figure 3.
УДК 621.436-047. 43:621. 384.3 Канд. техн. наук В.Е. КОЛПАКОВ
ИСКУССТВЕННЫЙ ИНТЕЛЛЕКТ В ОПРЕДЕЛЕНИИ ТЕХНИЧЕСКОГО СОСТОЯНИЯ
ДИАГНОСТИРУЕМОГО ОБЪЕКТА
Диагностика двигателя, нейронные сети, нейроны скрытого слоя, многослойный перцептрон, радиально базисная функция, функция ошибок, генерализация, классификация, распознавание образов, искусственный интеллект.
Разработка системы технического диагностирования является непростой задачей включающей в себя как применение современных диагностических средств, так и совершенствование математического аппарата определения состоянии диагностируемого объекта. Современные системы технической диагностики непосредственно связаны с распознаванием образа состоянии объекта[2]. В настоящее время нейронные сети получили широкое развитие и имеют исключительные возможности для получении и значений, правил и тенденций из данных, затруднительных для понимании, имеющих значительные погрешности и шум [1]. Нейронные сети, управляемые посредством сложных математических функций, могут использоваться для получении образов и распознавании тенденций и решать задачи такой сложности, которые не под силу для математических моделей, использующих аналитические или параметрические методики. Одним из достоинств нейронных сетей является способность точного предсказании значений, которые не являются частью экспериментальных данных, т.е. используют процесс, называемый генерализация. Таким образом, нейронные сети могут быть использованы для решении реальных мировых проблем как в науке, так и в бизнесе и индустрии [3].
(СПбГАУ, [email protected])
выход
Рис.1 Простейшая нейронная модель
Работа простейшей нейронной модели (рис.1) происходит следующим образом. На входе л; сигналы передаются нейрону , затем в зависимости от значимости совокупности сигналы обрабатываются и трансформируются с использованием математической функции/
