ASSESSMENT OF THE WORK QUALITY OF PRISMATIC ROLLER STEP KPP-6

Summary The purpose of research. Evaluation of the quality of technological process performance by the «STEP KPP-6» roller according to such criteria as the intensity and degree of soil compaction, the uniformity of bottom compaction, the degree of destruction of the cracked surface of the soil, the correspondence of the values obtained during the tests to the levels of professional assessment. Research methods. Analytical review of the design, field experiment, determination of indicators by standardized methods and statistical data processing. Results. The research results proved that the prismatic «STEP KPP-6» roller stably performs the technological process of rolling with satisfactory indicators of the quality of work and can be effectively used for its intended purpose. Rolling the surface of the soil, the roller at the same time intensively acts on the bottom, compacting it, which ensures close adherence of the seed to the bottom of the seed bed to obtain uniform and friendly seedlings. The density of the soil in a layer up to 15 cm before the passage of the roller was 0.97 g/cm3, after the passage was 1.15 g/cm3, compaction was 0.18 g/cm3. With the increase in the depth of preliminary tillage after passing the roller, a sharp decrease in the degree of soil compaction is noted: from 72% (at an average depth of 5 cm) to 58% (at an average depth of 10.6 cm). It is also significant to reduce the intensity and uniformity of bottom compaction from 100% to 32% and from 24% to 10% respectively. In addition, the roller ensures the destruction and loosening of the cracked surface of the field by 88% in one pass and by up to 97% in two passes both before sowing and in the presence of seedlings of cultivated plants. Conclusions. Research has established that the «STEP KPP-6» roller has universal structural and technological solutions, meets the technological requirements of a consumer, performs the rolling process with high quality, which, along with an attractive price, puts the machine in the line of high-quality import substitution offers. The use of the «STEP KPP-6» roller is recommended before sowing after deep cultivation for sedimentation of the soil, formation of lower horizons and prevention of their drying by covering the surface with a loosened layer of soil and after sowing to ensure contact of seeds with the soil, effective at destroying the cracked soil surface without and with plants. Key words: rolling, roller, soil density, compaction, tillage depth, crust destruction, cracked soil surface.