Corn Harvesting Machine Supplier

Corn Harvesting Machine: How It Works

Harvesting corn for silage is a precise operation that utilizes a specific set of machines, primarily centered around the forage harvester. The process is designed to efficiently gather the entire corn plant, chop it into fine pieces, and prepare it for ensiling. Understanding how this system works provides insight into modern agricultural practices.

The harvesting process begins at the front of the machine with the header, also known as a corn head. This is a specialized attachment designed specifically for harvesting corn. A corn header typically has multiple row units, each corresponding to the spacing of the corn rows in the field. Each unit is equipped with pointed snouts that guide the corn stalks into the machine. Gathering chains then grip the stalks and pull them down towards the base. A reciprocating cutter bar at the bottom severs the stalks cleanly from their stubble.

Once the stalks are cut, the gathering chains continue to move the entire plant—stalk, leaf, ear, and all—into the central feeding mechanism of the header. From there, the material is conveyed into the main body of the forage harvester.

Inside the forage harvester, the material enters the central processing system. The first key component it meets is a set of feed rollers. These heavy-duty rollers grip the incoming stream of material and compress it, ensuring a consistent and controlled flow into the next stage. They play a critical role in preventing clogging and ensuring a steady throughput.

The heart of the forage harvester is the cutting unit. The most common type is a rotating drum, known as a cutterhead, which is equipped with multiple knives. As the feed rollers push the corn plants against the cutterhead, the sharp knives slice the material into small pieces. The length of these pieces is determined by the theoretical length of cut (TLC), which can be adjusted by changing the speed of the feed rollers relative to the speed of the cutterhead, or by altering the number of knives on the cutterhead.

For corn silage, an additional step called kernel processing is often used. After the initial chop, the material may pass between a set of processing rollers. These rollers are designed to crush and flatten any whole corn kernels that may have passed through the cutterhead uncracked. This step improves the digestibility of the silage, as it makes the starch inside the kernels more accessible to the animals.

Finally, a powerful blower located at the top of the machine forces the chopped material through a discharge spout and into a trailing wagon or truck driving alongside. The operator can control the direction of the spout to distribute the load evenly. The chopped corn is then transported to a storage site, packed tightly, and covered to initiate the fermentation process that creates silage.

Shijiazhuang Tianren Agricultural Machinery Equipment Co., Ltd. produces equipment that supports the efficient and effective execution of these important agricultural tasks.