History of the Department

Department’s History

The Department of "Vehicle Maintenance" was established in May 1946 at the Mechanical Faculty of the Belarusian Polytechnic Institute. At its inception, the department was named "Repair and Operation of Vehicles." The first head of the department was Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Alexander Stepanovich Samko. The first cohort graduated in 1951 with 29 engineers specializing in "Repair and Operation of Vehicles, Tractors, and Agricultural Machines," followed by another group of 24 graduates in 1952 specializing in "Automotive Transport." The initial faculty and staff of the department included D.I. Gorin, L.I. Bobchenok, V.S. Apanasenko, A.S. Savich, and E.I. Petukhov. They laid the foundation for the educational, methodological, and scientific framework essential for training specialists for automotive enterprises across all Soviet republics.

In 1962, with the establishment of the Auto Tractor Faculty, the department was renamed to "Automotive Transport." The restructuring reflected the evolving tasks and structure of automotive transport, broadening the profile of specialist training. In 1978, with the introduction of new specialties such as "Organization of Road Traffic" and "Operation of Automotive Transport," the department "Automotive Transport" split into two distinct departments: "Technical Operation of Vehicles" and "Automotive Transportation and Vehicle Repair."

Research at the "Technical Operation of Vehicles" department focused on developing methods and tools to enhance the lifespan of vehicles, establishing methodological foundations for optimizing diagnostic, maintenance, and repair systems for automotive vehicles, predominantly those of Belarusian manufacture.

Key figures in the department's history include:
- From 1968 to 1974: Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Vasily Klimentyevich Azarenko.
- From 1975 to 1990: Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Sergey Vasilyevich Shumik.
- From 1990 to 2007: Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Vladimir Kirillovich Yaroshevich.
- From 2007 to 2014: Candidate of Technical Sciences, Associate Professor Alexander Sergeyevich Say.
- From 2014 to 2019: Doctor of Technical Sciences, Professor Viktor Sergeyevich Ivashko.
- Since 2019: Alexander Stanislavovich Gursky has been heading the department.

Under their leadership, the department expanded its collaboration with automotive enterprises, focusing on practical applications and innovations in vehicle maintenance and repair. The department's ongoing research and development activities have contributed significantly to advancing the field, with numerous patents and scientific publications enhancing Belarusian automotive technology.

Today, the department continues to play a vital role in educating future specialists and conducting research aimed at improving the technical operation and longevity of vehicles, integrating modern technologies and methodologies to meet contemporary automotive industry challenges.

From 1968 to 1974 the department was headed by candidate of technical sciences, associate professorAzarenko Vasily Klimentievich.

He graduated from the Faculty of Mechanics of the BPI (1951), a postgraduate student at the BPI (1957). Junior researcher, scientific secretary of the Research Institute of Mechanization and Electrification of Agriculture of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the BSSR (1957-1959). Deputy director for scientific work of the Belarusian Research Station of Agricultural Mechanization of the Academy of Agricultural Sciences of the BSSR (1959-1960). Associate Professor of the Department of Automobile Transport, BPI (1960-1968). Candidate of Technical Sciences (1958). Member of the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945). Was repeatedly wounded. He was awarded three military orders and medals. 

During this period, ties with production are strengthened, close ties are established with automobile and auto repair plants, motor transport enterprises of the city and the republic. During this period, new teachers come to the department; Shchebrov V.M., Vanchukevich V.F., Titov Yu.I., Kuzmenko B.N., Kapustin N.M., Shcherba N.I., Bolbas M.M., Titkov V.I., Kazatsky A .V., Samko G.A., Flerko I.M., Rasolko A.M.

In 1971, under the leadership of Dorozhkin N.N. candidate of technical sciences, the research development of the department "Research on improving the quality, reliability and service life of agricultural machines" was carried out, the performer is Yaroshevich V.K.

02

From 1975 to 1990 the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, ProfessorShumik Sergey Vasilievich

Doctor of Technical Sciences in the specialty "Automobiles and Tractors" (1980). Professor (1982). Author of 198 scientific papers, including 10 inventions, 4 textbooks and manuals designed to train mechanical engineers in the specialty "Automobiles and automotive industry". Scientific works are devoted to the problems of reliability and technical operation of vehicles. Member of the Great Patriotic War. Awarded 15 government awards.

In the 70s - 80s, the department was replenished with such teachers as Pashin A.D., Savich E.L., Poklad L.N., Say A.S., Yaroshevich V.K., Smolskaya V.S.

From 1975 to 1991 The staff of the department carried out the following scientific developments:

• "Study of performance, wear resistance and durability of units, components and parts of automobiles", 1975;
• “Research and develop the physical and technological foundations for hardening wear parts of tractors, agricultural machines and cars by high-temperature growth with metal powders in the sintering mode (sintering, plasma spraying, and other methods)”, 1975;
• “Research and development of advanced maintenance methods that increase the frequency and reduce the complexity of maintenance of multi-axle vehicles and road trains”, 1976, 1977;
• "Development and implementation of progressive methods of maintenance of BelAZ-549 vehicles", 1980, 1981, 1982;
• "Research, development and implementation of methods for the restoration and hardening of car parts", 1982, 1984;
• "Development and implementation of progressive methods of maintenance and current repair of BelAZ-549 vehicles", 1982, 1983;
• "Research and development of methods for improving the reliability and durability of vehicles through the rational organization of operation, maintenance and repair", 1984;
• "Development of technology for diagnosing carburetor engines by the composition of exhaust gases", 1985;
• “Development of a methodology for determining the content of training and the sequence of studying educational material in the specialty 1609 “Automobiles and the automotive industry”, specialization “Technical operation of vehicles”, 1985;
• "Study of the maintainability of multi-axle vehicles of the family
• MAZ-7313 and development of repair documentation”, 1986, 1987;
• "Introduction of installation and technology for the maintenance of mining dump trucks", 1986, 1987;
• "Development of methods for intensifying the educational process in a technical university based on the use of computers and CAD", 1987;
• "Research on the reliability of MAZ-7310 vehicles and the development of a manual for the repair of vehicles of the MAZ-7911 family (technical information)", 1987;
• "Development of a system for diagnosing mining vehicles with a carrying capacity of 75 - 180 tons", 1987;
• "Study of the durability and storability of MAZ vehicles and the development of regulatory documentation", 1988;
• “Development of methods for reducing toxicity and fuel consumption of gas-balloon vehicles”, 1990

03

From 1990 to 2007, the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, ProfessorYaroshevich Vladimir Kirillovich

Graduated from the BPI, specialty "Motor transport" (1962), postgraduate study at TsNIIMESH (1969). Engineer in the fleets of the Vitebsk regional auto trust. Senior researcher at the Institute for Problems of Reliability and Durability of Machines, Scientific Secretary of the Department of Physical and Technical Sciences of the Academy of Sciences of the Byelorussian SSR (1969-1981). Associate Professor (since 1981). Doctor of Technical Sciences (1987), Professor (1990). Scientist in the field of restoration and hardening of machine parts with metal powders. Author of more than 350 scientific papers, including 5 monographs. 13 textbooks and manuals and 85 inventions.

During this period, the department was replenished with such teachers as Gursky A.S., Lagun E.A.

From 1990 to 2007 The staff of the department carried out the following scientific developments:

• "Development of a methodology for optimizing systems for diagnosing, maintenance and repair of ATP rolling stock", 1991;

• "Development of a methodology for optimizing systems for diagnosing, maintenance and repair of ATP rolling stock", 1991;

• "Improvement of methods and means of ensuring the reliability of overhauled vehicles", 1991;

• "Research on the reliability of a new generation of multi-layer cross-country vehicles MAZ and the development of regulatory documentation", 1992, 1993;

• "Development of methods for restoring and strengthening parts", 1992;

• "Improving the reliability of automatic telephone exchanges by improving the methods and means of maintenance and repair", 1992;

• "Development of the theoretical foundations and fundamental principles for the creation of new structures and maintenance of specialized transport and traction facilities for the national economy of the Republic of Belarus", 1993, 1994;

• "Improving the reliability of vehicles by improving the methods and means of maintenance and repair", 1993, 1994;

• "Development of methods and tools for accelerated diagnostics and maintenance of vehicles in the conditions of motor transport enterprises in order to ensure reliability and environmental safety", 1995;

• "Improving the technical operation of cars of foreign firms in the conditions of the Republic of Belarus", 1997;

• "Development of theoretical foundations and principles for creating a technological complex for current car repairs", 1998;

• “Development of proposals for the installation and operation of the Energomat generator on cars”, 1999;

• "Creation of methodological foundations for optimizing systems for diagnosing, maintenance and repair of vehicles", 1999, 2000;

• "Development of fundamental methods of instrumental control of vehicles for compliance with international standards", 2000;

• "Development of the organization and technology for diagnosing maintenance and current repairs of MAZ buses using modern technical equipment (part 1, part 2, interim report, final report)", 2001, 2002, 2003;

• "Development of a set of methods for computer analysis of the effect of fuel additives that reduce its consumption and toxicity of exhaust gases of vehicles", 2001;

• "Research, development and optimization of technological impacts aimed at improving the efficiency of the use of MAZ vehicles and buses", 2004, 2005;

• "Development of a computer method for predicting the resource of metal-polymer friction units of cars", 2005;

• “Efficiency management and forecasting of the technical condition of MAZ vehicle units”, 2006

04

From 2007 to 2014 the department was headed by Ph.D., Associate ProfessorSay Alexander Sergeevich.He graduated from the BPI, specialty "Automobiles and automotive industry" (1978), the Academy of Management under the President of the Republic of Belarus (2004). Intern-teacher, assistant, senior lecturer, associate professor. Candidate of Technical Sciences (1990), Associate Professor (1993). Author of 93 scientific papers, 36 inventions. Awarded with honorary diplomas of BNTU, Ministry of Transport and Communications.

During this period, the department was replenished with such teachers as Potapov, Ivashko V.S., Kruchek A.S.

From 2007 to 2014 The staff of the department carried out the following scientific developments:

• “Development of methods for increasing durability and resource-saving technologies for processing technical fluids of mobile machines in order to preserve their performance properties based on fundamentally new devices”, 2007; 

• "Efficiency management and forecasting of the technical condition of MAZ vehicles (final)" 2010; 

• "Study of the levels of mechanization of technological processes of maintenance and repair of MAZ trucks", 2013 

05

From 2014 to 2019 the department was headed by Doctor of Technical Sciences, ProfessorIvashko Viktor Sergeevich.

Graduated from BIMSH with a degree in agricultural mechanization (1973), postgraduate study at BPI (1978), candidate of technical sciences (1979), doctor of technical sciences (1991), professor (2000), Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Belarus (2001 ). Full member of the International Academy of Engineering (1999) and the Russian Academy of Engineering (foreign) (2015). Chairman of the NGO "Belarusian Engineering Society" Elected Vice-President of the International Academy of Engineering (2004-2012). Author and co-author of more than 500 works, including more than 100 copyright certificates and patents for inventions, 15 monographs, more than 20 teaching aids, including 4 teaching aids stamped by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus. 1 textbook, stamped by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation. Prepared 6 candidates of technical sciences and 5 masters. Awarded with Honorary Diplomas of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, FFI of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Agriculture and Food of the Republic of Belarus, the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Belarus, the Minsk Regional Executive Committee, the Belarusian State Agrarian Technical University, the Belarusian National Technical University and many other organizations of the Republic of Belarus. Awarded with commemorative badges “At the fundraising fee of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, badges “For the way of development of parashkovy metallurgy”. Honorary Jubilee Sign in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of G.K. Zhukov. Belarusian National Technical University and many other organizations of the Republic of Belarus. Awarded with commemorative badges “At the fundraising fee of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, badges “For the way of development of parashkovy metallurgy”. Honorary Jubilee Sign in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of G.K. Zhukov. Belarusian National Technical University and many other organizations of the Republic of Belarus. Awarded with commemorative badges “At the fundraising fee of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus”, badges “For the way of development of parashkovy metallurgy”. Honorary Jubilee Sign in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of G.K. Zhukov.

During this period, the department was replenished with such teachers as Buikus K.V., Izoitko V.M., Protasevich V.A., Loiko V.A., Makarov V.A., Ivanis P.V. And also the laboratories of the department were equipped with modern equipment for maintenance, diagnosis and repair.

From 2014 to 2019 The staff of the department carried out the following scientific developments:

• "Study of the levels of mechanization of technological processes of maintenance and repair of MAZ trucks", 2014;

• "Improving the organization and technology of diagnostics, maintenance and repair at car service enterprises", 2016, 2017, 2018

06

Since 2019, the head of the department isGursky Alexander Stanislavovich. Graduated from BSPA with a degree in "Technical operation of vehicles" (2000), postgraduate study at BNTU (2003), Ph.D. (2004), associate professor in the specialty "Transport" (2007). In 2006 he was awarded the BNTU Diploma, and in 2015 the BNTU Honorary Diploma. In 2017, he graduated from RIIT BNTU with a degree in Management of Vocational Education Institutions. Author of 57 publications, including 10 articles in the publications of the HAC list, 2 patents for inventions, 2 monographs, 3 textbooks with the stamp of the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus, articles, abstracts, laboratory workshops and teaching aids. Since 2018, the applicant for the degree of Doctor of Technical Sciences in the specialty "Transport". Head of graduate students and undergraduates of the department "Technical operation of vehicles".

During this period, the department was replenished with such teachers as Serebryakov I.A., Klimov Yu.V., Tivo D.A.

At the department "Technical operation of vehicles" throughout the entire period of existence, along with the educational process, scientific research was carried out in the direction of maintenance and repair of vehicles. In this direction, methods and means are being developed to increase the resource of vehicles, to create methodological foundations for optimizing systems for diagnosing, maintaining and repairing vehicles. In the direction of repair, work is being carried out to restore vehicle components by coating and post-treatment.

At the beginning of the 80s. a scientific laboratory was established at the department. This made it possible to concentrate the forces of the department on the most important scientific areas, as well as to raise the efficiency of research work to a new level. On the basis of business contracts, orders were fulfilled for motor transport enterprises and factories, in particular MAZ. In those years, inventive activity intensified. Pashin A.D., Rasolko A.M., Shumik S., Saym A.S. inventions of not only operational, but also design nature were created. In 1986, the department was awarded the BPI Certificate of Honor for the first place in inventive work.

As a result of the joint work of the department with MAZ, the employees of the department Savich A.S., Kuchur S.S., Zenkevich E.I. under the leadership of Shumik S.V. Regulations on the maintenance and repair of multi-axle vehicles of the MAZ family and mining vehicles of the BelAZ family, a methodology and a set of computer software for calculating and predicting vehicle reliability indicators at the stages of development, manufacture and operation were created and implemented. New technical solutions are protected by 270 invention patents. In the direction of technical operation, such scientific works were carried out as “Efficiency management and forecasting of the technical condition of MAZ vehicle units”, “Improvement of the production and technical base and technologies for maintenance and repair of MAZ vehicles and buses”.

Currently, work is underway to improve the organization and technology of maintenance and repair of mechanical and electric vehicles using transport telematics, monitoring and remote diagnostics of vehicles.

The department maintains close ties with motor transport and car service enterprises, on the basis of which various types of industrial practices are carried out, as well as joint scientific projects.

The department employs 1 doctor of technical sciences, professor, 1 candidate of technical sciences, professor, 7 candidates of technical sciences, associate professors and 3 senior lecturers.

The department "Technical operation of vehicles" graduates engineers in two specialties: 1-37 01 06 "Technical operation of vehicles" and 1-37 01 07 "Auto service".

At the department "Technical operation of vehicles" students are trained for other specialties of the automotive and tractor faculty: 1-37 01 02-01 "Automotive", 1-37 01 08 "Evaluation activities in road transport", 1-27 02 01 "Transport logistics" ( road transport), 1-27 01 01 "Economics and organization of production" (road transport), as well as for the specialty 1-37 01 06-02 "Technical operation of vehicles (military vehicles)" of the military technical faculty and specialty 1- 08 01 01 "Professional training (in areas)" of the Faculty of Engineering and Education.

The department maintains close ties with motor transport and car service enterprises, on the basis of which various types of industrial practices are carried out. Many enterprises provide material assistance, among which the State Enterprise "Minsktrans", LLC "Avtocentre Gmbh", JLLC "Atlant-M Vostok", Autocentre "Atlant-M Sukharevo", TCHUP "SHATE-M PLUS", UE "PS -Tekhtsentr, Ostvesttranskar LLC.