Abstract
Scientific observations on the quality and reliability of combine harvesters have shown that of all the delays of equipment, 32...35% of the total operating time, technical failures account for 17.4...19.8%. Most of the failures were observed with the failure of combine parts, mechanical transmissions, hydraulic systems, etc. Quantitative analysis of harvester failures has shown that most failures occur in the operation of the cutting device, namely the finger bar mower. The working hypothesis is that it is possible to increase the reliability of the cutting device of harvesting machines in ordinary operating conditions and in the event of sudden failures by applying a coating on the blade segment, without significantly changing its geometric parameters, and performing notches that ensure both a decrease in the mass of the segment and its destruction without plastic deformation when foreign objects enter the cutting zone. The main problem of the reliability of segments of cutting device, harvesting equipment, is the cutting edge of the blade, which wears out and deforms during operation. From the above, it follows that the purpose of the study is to improve the reliability of segment finger bar mower machines by improving the mechanical properties of segments, these investigations are relevant and of practical interest. The study includes the use of mathematical probability and reliability theory, analysis, and a systematic approach to provide an analytical description of the operation of a cutting device segment. The consequence of this scientific investigation is an analysis of failures and malfunctions of the machinery, presented graphically, a diagram of how a plant stem segment is cut and the forces acting on the stem and the segment during the cutting process are depicted. These materials have scientific and informative content that would be of interest to engineers and scientists in the process of research and production of cutting device segments