Examining Load on the Top Plate of a Combine for Multi-crops during the Harvesting of Feed Corns through Rosette Analysis and DEM

Abstract

Combines for multi-crops might have insufficient strength on the top plate of the threshing section during corn harvesting. This study examined the load on the top plate through rosette analysis and DEM. The results showed that the average von Mises stresses peaked at slightly forward position of the middle of the top plate, reaching a maximum stress of 88.5 MPa on the front side. The load direction approximately followed the circumferential direction of the threshing drum. The safety factor of the top plate was 1.34-2.19 when a von Mises stress of 201 MPa was measured. DEM analysis showed that large loads resulting from sandwiched collisions were concentrated on the front side; this finding is consistent with the rosette analysis.