Research on the development of an automatic control system for the rolling-in working units is aimed at establishing the reliability and analytical relationships, determining the quality indicators of work in real conditions of the rolling-in working units of a seeding machine, and checking the patterns obtained in the fi eld and identifi ed theoretically. Research on the development of an automatic control system for the rolling implements was carried out when sowing dragee seeds of table beet of the Bordeaux variety with a seeding unit consisting of a Belarus-4235 tractor and a Monopil S15/12 precision seeding machine. The system for automatic control of soil density includes the main hardware and software: actuators for maintaining and deepening the rolling working units, microcontrollers, motor drivers, a non-contact ultrasonic sensor, a power supply unit and a sensor for measuring soil density. The paper presents the results of a study to determine the soil density when sowing seeds of table beet, depending on the moisture content of the soil in the sowing layer. The authors describe research methodology, provide graphical relationships between changes in soil density and the depth of seeding, and comment on the main obtained statistical characteristics of the experiment. As a result of the study, structural, echnological and functional diagrams of a rolling rink with an automatic control system using electronically controlled electric cylinders (linear actuators) have been developed. The optimal parameters of the linear drive of the press roller have been established: power - 50W, power supply - 12V, rod stroke - 200…600 mm, speed - 10…45 mm/s, load - 200…900 N. Experimental studies have shown the applicability of the presented system of the automatic control of soil density, which ensures the optimum density of the seedbed of 1.3…1.4 g/cm³. The described technique can be used to develop a soil density control system when sowing seeds of other vegetable crops.
Reply [to “Comment on ‘Dual-energy synchrotron X ray measurements of rapid soil density and water content changes in swelling soils during infiltration’ by Patricia Garnier et al.”]