Method for Justification of a Rational Corn Harvester Using the Harrington Desirability Function

The selection of technical means and technologies for the mechanization of agricultural processes is of paramount importance for the successful functioning of the country’s agricultural sector. The presence of a wide variety of modern technology requires careful, scientifically based selection, adapted to regional conditions. The current state of technical service and other factors requires the development of a method for assessing and selecting a rational combine for various classes of throughput, taking into account many agrotechnical, operational and economic indicators. Since the crop production direction of agriculture is of priority importance for the Irkutsk region, the planned formation of a fleet of combine harvesters in the region becomes an urgent problem. A methodology is proposed for substantiating effective brands of combine harvesters using the Harrington desirability function based on a generalized indicator. coefficients are determined based on data from photographic observations, machine testing stations, and experimental results. The values of the coefficients have different correlations with combines of the same throughput class. They evaluate process and maintenance capabilities and process reliability. The value of the coefficients is influenced by the biological characteristics of grain crops cultivated in the region, the existing level of technical service, operator qualifications and other related design factors of harvesting machines. For each brand of grain harvester of the same throughput class used in the region, a generalized desirability indicator is calculated. The most effective combine in the class is the one that has the highest desirability index.