MAINTENANCE OF OPERATIONAL RELIABILITY OF TILLAGE WORKING BODY'S WITH ELEMENTS OF ULTRA-HIGH MOLECULAR POLYETHYLENE
In arid conditions, soil cultivation should ensure the accumulation of moisture and prevent evaporation. The accumulation of moisture and prevention of evaporation is ensured by the mulching layer on the surface and different in structural composition and density of the addition of soil layers during its processing. This can be done by layer-by-layer soil-free tillage. However, the working bodies for layer-by-layer soil-free tillage are characterized by high metal content, which leads to an increase in the mass of the structure and an increase in the energy input for the process. The design of the working element for layerwise soil-free tillage with the use of ultrahigh-molecular-weight low-density polyethylene is developed. Due to the use of new non-metallic materials based on plastics in the design, a significant reduction in the metal capacity of the working bodies and the cost of energy for the implementation of the technological process by layer-by-layer soilless tillage are possible. Optimization of the shape of the ripper is based on the search for the minimum length of its geometric surfaces that crush a given size of the formation. The cross-sectional area of the seam is determined by the perimeter (length of the geometric surfaces) of the ripper. To ensure operational ruggedness of the ripper, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene is mounted on a metal substrate serving as a reinforcing element. In this case, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene can be applied in the form of a coating retained on the metal base of the ripper by adhesion, and also by injection molding. With the functioning of the working element for layer-by-layer soil-free tillage with elements from ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene, the quality of crumbling of the formation was improved by 6.8-10.4% and the leveling of the background; decrease in the content of erosion-hazardous particles in the upper layer by 1.2-1.4 times. As a result of such upgrading, the permissible load on the ripper may exceed the strength of the coating itself. In addition to the stability of the form, the angle of sharpening of the cutting edge is maintained, which directly affects the reduction of the energy intensity of the process and the improvement of the quality of the soil treatment.