The relevance of the study is due to the need to reduce the energy intensity of the process of cutting sunflower stalks by choosing a rational profile of knives. The research is based on a comparative analysis of experimental values of cutting forces for the proposed and manufactured design of the knife system and known knife systems. The studies have shown that the implementation of the retaining and main knives of the header in the form of a curved spiral of Archimedes allowed to reduce the cutting force. It was also found that the cutting force for the proposed design of the knife system, unlike other studied, practically does not change with the removal of the stem from the axis of rotation of the knives, which does not require an increase in energy costs for the cutting process.

The amount of energy required to perform technological processes in agriculture largely depends on the size of the resistance to the displacement of the working bodies of machines. The main factor of energy consumption performing the technological process of potato harvesting is the resistance to the displacement of the digestive working body. In order to reduce the resistance to displacement an improved design of the digging body is proposed. An analytical study was conducted to determine the problem of moving the working body in the soil environment. The strength of the soil resistance is determined and the regularity of the influence on its change of parameters and the shape of the blade and separation parts of the digging working body is established. Calculations are made using the Mathematica application programm. The graphic dependences and contours of the isoline of the traction flange of the working part of the working body are obtained. Analysis of the calculations allowed to set the parameters of the surface of the dashboard, which provide a minimum of traction resistance. The schedule and contours of isolines of the change of the total resistance to the displacement of the soil mass with the tubers by the separation surface of the working organ in the function of the distance between the bars and the size of their intersection are also obtained. Analysis of the dependence of soil resistance and tubers on the separation surface indicates that an increase in the size of the geometric size of the intersection of the rods leads to a significant increase in the resistance of the medium. The material presented in the article can be used for analytical determination of the resistance of the excavation working body of potato harvesting machines of arbitrary geometric shape in the soil medium with tubers.

This work is the result of research carried out by an initiative group in the city of Rivne to assess the accessibility of the transport environment for people with disabilities. It was monitored of the rights of people with disabilities to access transport services to study the accessibility of vehicles for such people. Monitoring was carried out by means of questionnaire method, conduct survey, registration (observation) and expert evaluation. The questionnaire was attended by 100 people, among them: disabled people with diseases of the musculoskeletal system (20 people); visually impaired people (28 people); hearing impaired people (22 people); parents of children with cerebral palsy and autism (30 people). The monitoring results are presented in the form of graphs, tables and diagrams. Based on the expert assessment, a summary table of indicators with recommended for evaluating the accessibility of transport system elements was obtained. A list of priority measures was proposed to create an accessible urban transport environment. The results of the monitoring are the basis for further investigation of the problem of transportation of people with disabilities.