The Combine Harvester is one of the most iconic machines in agriculture. Also known as a "combines", these machines perform the tasks of reaping, threshing and cleaning the harvested grain crops in a single process, saving both time and labor on farms.
Early History and Development
The idea of combining the reaping, threshing and cleaning processes in harvesting dates back to the 18th century. However, it was not until the 1830s that the first effective Combine Harvesters started emerging. Cyrus McCormick from Virginia, USA invented the mechanical reaper in 1831 which took over the laborious process of hand reaping. In the following decades, several engineers and inventors worked on designs to add threshing and cleaning mechanisms on wheeled platforms towed by horses or machines.
By the late 19th century, early self-propelled harvester-thresher combos started appearing. The combined machines eliminated the need for separate reaping, threshing and winnowing operations. However, they were still basic motorized attachments rather than standalone combines. It was not until the early 1920s that the modern Combine Harvester with an enclosed grain tank and all operations performed within the machine was developed and adopted for widespread use on farms.
Evolution and Modern Features
Over the following decades, Combine Harvesters kept getting bigger, stronger and more efficient with advanced engineering. In the post-World War 2 period, hydraulics, diesel engines and pneumatic tires became common on large self-propelled combines. Machines could now handle bigger headers and more bushels of grain per hour. Electronics and computerization started getting incorporated from the 1980s for automatic functions.
Today's large scale modern combines are marvels of agricultural engineering. They feature headers over 25 feet wide, 500+ horsepower turbo-charged diesel engines, computerized controls and satellite guidance systems. Key features include:
- Cutting headers with reel and cutter bars to cut multiple rows together
- Augers to transfer cut crops to the thresher unit
- Threshing cylinder and concave grate to separate grain from stalks
- Sieves to remove chaff and straw from grain
- Cleaning fans and sieves to ensure only clean grain is collected
- 40-70 bushel grain tanks to store threshed grains
- Advanced cabs with air-conditioning and monitoring systems
Benefits of Combine Harvesters
The widespread adoption of Combine Harvesters has revolutionized commercial grain farming since the early 20th century. Some of the major advantages include:
- High productivity - Modern large models can harvest 50+ acres per day compared to 1 acre by manual methods.
- Labor savings - Combines require just 1-2 operators compared to crews of 20-30 farmhands previously.
- Time savings - The whole harvest process from reaping to cleaning now takes place continuously within the machine.
- Grain quality - Combines gently separate, thresh and clean grains without damage unlike manual flailing and beating.
- Cost savings - Reduced labor needs, less staff housing and ability to harvest much larger acreages have lowered grain farming costs drastically.
- Post-harvest efficiency - Clean dry grain can be directly stored or transported from the grain tank to granaries or trucks.
Field Preparation and Operations
For effectively using a Combine Harvester, proper pre-harvest field preparation and harvest planning is essential:
- Fields must be carefully graded, leveled and obstacles removed for smooth operation of large machines.
- Crops need to be planted, fertilized, weeded and matured uniformly as per recommended practices.
- Harvest timing is critical - grains should be ripe but not dried out for best threshing and minimal grain loss.
- Headers need to be changed as per crop type - narrow for wheat/rice, wider for soybeans/corn etc.
- Fields are sectioned and harvested in straight accessible plots to save time turning machines.
- Combines are refueled, cleaned and maintained properly before and after daily harvesting shifts.
- Grain tanks are emptied regularly into awaiting trucks to prevent any spillage during transport.
Advanced Combines for the Future
With continuous technology updates, the future of Combine Harvesters is getting more autonomous and digitally connected. Some emerging trends include:
- Precision agricultural components like yield monitors, automated steering and section control are becoming standard.
- Machine learning and computer vision enable full identification of crops, weeds and obstacles in real-time without GPS.
- Cleaning systems are getting more efficient in grain separation with higher throughputs.
- Next generation engines use alternative fuels like natural gas or hybrid systems for lower emissions.
- Onboard moisture sensors, density meters and weighing systems provide real-time harvest analytics.
- Drones and smart sensors monitor fields for ripening timings, moisture levels and enable harvest forecasting.
- Long term, fully autonomous robot combines without cabins could revolutionize 24x7 harvesting operations.
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For the maintenance of the combine parts, the farmers must clean them after the harvesting season.
Another benefit of cleaning the combine harvesters is that when the farmers use the parts again in the season, they will not have to spend time cleaning.
All the combine harvesters need proper maintenance for a long life span.
Farmers who use combine harvesters for harvesting paddy, it is important for them to know that now in this modern agricultural machinery era, how many types of harvesting machines are used in farming, because with the help of these machinery farmers can do many of their agricultural work very easily.Visit to know more - https://tinyurl.com/uv4f637r
