STATISTICAL PROCESS CONTROL APPLIED TO MONITOR LOSSES IN THE MECHANIZED SUGARCANE HARVESTING

ABSTRACT The mechanized sugarcane harvesting process is considered one of the major economic bottlenecks, with low operational efficiency and, mainly, high losses of stalks left in the field. In order to minimize these problems and assist in the improvement of processes, this study aimed to evaluate the losses in the mechanized sugarcane harvesting using statistical process control. The experimental design was completely randomized, based on the methodology of statistical process control with samples collected on five work fronts during the daytime and nighttime operation. The experiment was carried out in an agricultural area of a sugarcane mill in the municipality of Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil, on five sugarcane harvest fronts. Losses were measured using a 3.0 × 3.33-m frame, being divided into stump, loose piece + fixed piece, whole sugarcane, fragment, and total losses for each harvest front. The data were grouped into 50 weeks over the sugarcane-growing season, and statistical analyses were performed using the Minitab 16® software. Losses of loose piece + fixed piece were higher than the losses of stump, whole sugarcane, and fragment. The total losses showed higher and lower losses for the fronts F5 and F4, respectively, compared to the others.

摘要：机械化甘蔗收割流程被视作主要经济瓶颈之一，其不仅作业效率低下，且尤为突出的问题是田间遗留蔗茎损失高昂。为缓解此类问题并助力收割工艺优化，本研究旨在借助统计过程控制（Statistical Process Control）方法，评估机械化甘蔗收割过程中的损失情况。本研究采用完全随机化实验设计，基于统计过程控制方法，在五个作业工作面的日间与夜间作业时段采集样本。实验于巴西圣保罗州里贝朗普雷图市某甘蔗加工厂的农业区域内的五个甘蔗收割工作面开展。研究采用3.0×3.33米的框架开展损失量测量，将损失划分为蔗桩损失、散碎蔗块+固定蔗块损失、完整甘蔗损失、蔗屑损失，以及各收割工作面的总损失。实验数据按甘蔗种植季划分为50周进行分组，并借助Minitab 16®软件完成统计分析。分析结果表明，散碎蔗块+固定蔗块的损失量高于蔗桩、完整甘蔗及蔗屑的损失量。相较于其余工作面，F5与F4工作面的总损失量分别处于最高与最低水平。