The most common types of defects in steel ropes that occur during the operation of passenger cable cars, as well as the causes of their occurrence, are considered. The geometric parameters and structure of a steel rope with an existing «undulation» defect are analyzed, and a 3D computer model using video analytics is constructed. An optical method for detecting surface defects in steel ropes based on machine vision and artificial intelligence for remote continuous monitoring of its technical condition is considered.

The article reflects the calculation schemes for the movement of a snow particle along the surface of the cutting strip and the calculation scheme for determining the angle of inclination of the cutting strip of the feeder of a rotary snow blower. The relationships that determine the direction of action of the centrifugal force projections and the conditions that determine the nature of the equations of motion of a snow particle along the cutting strip and the possible phase states of the mechanical system “cutter of the vertical feeder of a rotary snow blower – transported snow particle” are presented. Using the example of a low-power rotary snow blower with a vertical feeder, the boundary of the change in the direction of action of the projections of the centrifugal force of inertia is graphically shown. The nature of the change in the equations of motion of the mechanical system under consideration is described. A diagram of the construction of the profile of the cutting strip of the vertical feeder cutter of a rotary snow blower is presented. An algorithm has been proposed for constructing the profile of the cutting strip of a vertical feeder cutter, which ensures the required time for the snow particle to remain in the space of the cutter. The use of an algorithm when designing the working parts of rotary snow blowers can slow down the process of formation of a snow prism in the area of the loading window of the propelling apparatus of a rotary snow blower.

The diagonal (cross) arrangement of the drives of the track contours in the layout of the tracked chassis with two movers is a common solution in the design of ground transport and technological vehicles for various purposes. During rectilinear motion of such vehicles, one mover always operates in the traction mode, the other in the pushing mode. In this article, based on previously developed mathematical models of the motion of tracked chassis with deviations in the values of the factors determining the patterns of machine motion, an analysis of the motion of a tracked chassis with two movers and a diagonal arrangement of the electric drive is performed at a constant identical value of the coefficient of resistance to movement from the ground, with its variable value for each of the movers, and also taking into account the possible deviation of the slip of the drive electric motors within the regulated standard interval. Recommendations are formed for the procedures for designing tracked chassis in the specified version and the structural implementation of the placement of electric motors between the movers inside the tracked chassis.

The article discusses the development of a mathematical model for the steering system of a truck equipped with a screw-and-rack steering mechanism with power assistance. Special attention is given to modeling the system’s operation during parking maneuvers, characterized by large wheel turning angles, vari-able steering linkage ratios, and nonlinear resistance to wheel turning. The model includes descriptions of the main components of the steering system: the pump, pressure pipeline, rotary valve, hydraulic cylinder, steering linkage, tires, and steered wheels. Key assumptions and equations used for modeling the mechanical and hydraulic subsystems are presented. The features of the rotary valve’s operation and the variation in the characteristics of throttle openings depending on the torsion bar twist angle are examined. The dynamics of the hydraulic cylinder and steering linkage, as well as the resistance moments for wheel turning, are analyzed. A kinematic analysis of the steering linkage is performed, and equations for calculating the linkage ratio and the angular velocities of its elements are derived. To describe the wheel turning resistance moment, a model considering hysteresis phenomena is employed. Numerical solutions of the model equations in the Matlab/Simulink environment, under sinusoidal input to the steering wheel, confirmed that the model’s response corresponds to the expected characteristics of the steering system.

The use of a block storage system and optimization of picking routes in warehouses reduces the costs of basic logistics operations. Equipping warehouses with racks with a gravity roller conveyor ensures a more compact arrangement of products in comparison with other types of racks, reduces the routes of pickers and automated lifting equipment. For the safe operation of the gravity roller rack, it is necessary to use brake roll-ers that limit the speed of the pallet within acceptable limits and prevent damage to the rack or cargo from excessive dynamic loads. The paper considers the devel-oped design of a dynamic braking roller, in the shell of which, through a multiplier, the engine perceives the driving torque driven by the weight of the pallet and generates a balancing electromagnetic braking torque. A technique has been developed and an expression has been obtained for selecting an engine based on its mechanical characteristics, satisfying the conditions of safe operation of the rack and taking into account the design limitations of the gravity conveyor. Experimental studies have been carried out to determine the electrical parameters of the engine necessary for the analysis of the mathematical model of the movement of the pallet on the gravity rack. The calculated and experimentally obtained dependences of pallet velocity on its mass are compared. Ranges of multiplier gear ratios, additional resistances, and slope of the web of a gravity roller conveyor are proposed for the most efficient operation of a rack with pallets weighing from 250 to 1.500 kg.

Passenger cable cars occupy an important place in the infrastructure of mountain climate zones, ski sports and tourist complexes, as well as when using this type of transport as a cable subway in large cities and agglomerations. The article discusses the principles of safety during the operation of passenger cable cars based on risk assessment. Risk assessment procedures are formulated by comparing the identified hazards to acceptable risk criteria. The main dangerous factors affecting the safety of passenger cable cars operation are considered, such as «the location of rolling stock fixed on a steel rope at a considerable height», «rolling stock with passengers moving at high speed using steel ropes» and «unskilled actions of personnel» to minimize the impact which propose technical, technological and organizational measures to ensure safety during the operation of a control panel based on the use of digital information technologies.

Operators of construction and road building machines are subjected to significant vibration and shock loads. Vibrations lead to occupational diseases and reduced working capacity of operators. The main areas of vibration protection are vibration-protective cab supports and vibration-protective seat suspensions. Active vibration protection systems have advantages in the breadth of frequency range and possibilities of their customization. At the same time, passive vibration protection systems are more reliable and durable. The effect of quasi-zero stiffness is utilized in promising vibration protection systems. The developed simulation mathematical model of passive vibration protection system of a seat in SimInTech environment is described. The model takes into account external influences in the form of specified displacements of the seat base, and system parameters. Input parameters are mass, time, stiffness and damping coefficients, amplitude and frequency of vibrations of the seat base. Output parameters are the coordinate, velocity and acceleration of the seat in the absolute coordinate system, and the derivative of them is the overload of the seat. Also as a result of modeling the time dependencies of the local coordinate, or deformation of the vibration protection mechanism are determined. In the SimInTech environment the blocks of the “Mechanics” library are used. The specified functional dependencies of the return force and damping are realized. The model reproduces vertical vibrations of the seat with the operator. An example of use and results are given. The return force is determined by a three-segment static force characteristic. The overload is determined from the current acceleration values of the seat, which in turn are determined by the virtual sensor unit. An example of using the model is given, when vertical vibrations of a seat with an operator of a ground transportation and technological machine are investi-gated. The base of the seat, i.e. the floor of the operator’s cabin, performs specified harmonic oscillations. Graphs of time dependences of the vertical coordinate of the seat center of mass, the vertical coordinate of the seat base and the displacement of the seat relative to its own base, as well as the time dependence of the seat overload are given. The field of application of the developed model is to study the dynamics of forced vertical vibrations of the vibration protection system of the seat of a ground transportation-technological machine with a human operator.

During the operation of cargo manipulators of mobile transport and technological machines for various purposes, having an open kinematic scheme with the articulation of sequentially installed links using cylindrical hinges, wear of their contact surfaces is observed. This type of damage is a typical defect in the metal structure of manipulators. The main cause of wear is the small contact surface of the «eyelet-hinge pin» pair, which leads to high pressure on the contact surface of the eyelet or sleeve opening and subsequent frictional wear. The article presents a mathematical model and a technique for modeling the dynamic state of hydraulic manipulators of mobile transport and technological machines in the presence of increased gaps in cylindrical articulated joints of links. The designs are considered and a mechanism is proposed to reduce the additional shock load in the hinges by using built-in hinge dampers that provide both purely elastic and combined viscoelastic damping of oscillatory processes. Based on computer simulation of a three-link manipulator of a specific mobile machine, a quantitative analysis of the effectiveness of reducing dynamic stresses in a metal structure was performed. The impact of the viscoelastic characteristics of the built-in dampers on the dynamic state of cylindrical hinges with increased clearances is analyzed.

One of the features of operation of self-propelled boom cranes is balancing of the hoisting crane on outriggers, i.e. cyclic loading and unloading of the crane supports depending on the azimuthal position of the rotating part of the crane with the load. However, this process is not fully covered in the technical literature. Objective of the study: to study the process of transformation (change) of the loading of the support contour of a self-propelled boom crane in a dynamic loading mode; as the main parameter characterizing the process of transformation of the support base of a self-propelled boom crane, the dependencies of the support reactions in time are selected. Methods: analytical calculation of the dependencies of the support reactions of a self-propelled boom crane in time from the parameters of the stress-strain state of the hanging hydraulic cylinder, which are determined using the strain gauge method in experimental studies of dynamic loading of a self-propelled boom crane with a change in the loading of the support contour. The obtained data were processed according to probability theory and mathematical statistics. The experimental studies were conducted on a real overhead crane – a boom truck crane of the KS-45717 type. Results: the analysis of experimental studies of the dynamic loading of the overhead crane is presented in terms of changing the loading of the support contour. As a result of the analysis, it was concluded that when the rotating part of the crane with a load rotated, the loading of the support contour of the overhead crane was transformed (balancing) – sequential cyclic loading and unloading of the crane supports. In the conducted experimental studies, the spatial position of the center of mass of the «overhead crane – load» system was determined. As part of the study of the hanging hydraulic cylinder, the parameters of the distribution of the stress-strain state of the cylinder (housing) of the hydraulic cylinder as a function of time were determined.