A corn header is a mounted agricultural device that is attached to a combine harvester and is used for mowing technically ripe corn, separating the cobs from the stalks, and collecting and storing food and feed grains.
The units differ in the number of rows processed and the width of the inter-row space. Characterized by the following qualities:
- high performance;
- reliability;
- ease of maintenance;
- stability of the technological process;
- preservation of grain quality indicators;
- waste-free and loss minimization.
Design and principle of operation
The operating principle of the corn harvester is simple. The auger mechanism grabs the stems of the plant, lifts them and pulls them down. Tear-off plates separate the cobs and send them to the threshing apparatus. In a chopping system consisting of knives and blades on horizontal rollers, the stems and leaves are crushed and scattered across the field.
Harvesting grain, cutting and chopping the plant occur simultaneously.
The chopper operates at a minimum distance from the soil surface, captures all fallen crops and removes weeds. Management and control of the operation is carried out from the operator’s cabin.
The design of the header includes the following main components:
- frame;
- reel;
- conveyor;
- chopper;
- screw.
Many modules are equipped with special casings to protect working parts from mechanical influences. The linkage mechanism allows the devices to be aggregated with any combines of domestic and foreign production.
Corn headers
Corn headers, like any other, are used for mowing and transporting crops. Only with the use of equipment from a well-known and trusted manufacturer can you achieve maximum harvest, since cheap units can skip and leave part of the crop simply lying on the field.
Design features
The design of the headers is quite simple, it consists of a hood, which is mainly made of plastic. It has several functions: firstly, it serves to guide the stem towards the cutting mechanism; secondly, an upper transport chain can be placed on top of it, thanks to which the hood can pry up fallen stems, cut and transport them to the auger and feeding mechanism of the combine, thirdly, it simply protects the cutting mechanism from the same stems. The cutting mechanism is quite interesting, as it has two feed chains with 6 knives each, which are made of high-strength steel and can be easily replaced. They feed the stems to the combine, and then they are cut off by rollers with counter-cut knives. Ultimately, the operating principle is the same as that of scissors. Mechanisms for cutting may be different, but their main principle of operation is that while the stalk is transported to the combine, it is cut in small parts to the cob itself, due to which the harvester itself gets a minimum of debris.
Some machines are equipped with headers of a special design, thanks to which they can be folded to the width of the combine itself, which allows it to move along public roads without removing attachments.
Principle of operation
Working with this technique is as simple as possible; when the combine moves forward, the hood fingers separate the stems and direct them to transport knives, which in turn chop the stems and bring the separated cobs to the combine. After which the crop enters the auger mechanism and moves to the conveyor of the combine itself, which is usually presented in the form of a belt.
Review of popular manufacturers
In agriculture, there are models of corn headers of the brands Rostselmash, Geringof, Orosh, Klever and others.
Rostselmash
A popular unit among farmers is the ARGUS mounted adapter for grain harvesters and forage harvesters from the Russian company Rostselmash, a leader in the global agricultural machinery industry.
High-performance 4-, 6-, 8-, 12-row corn headers PPK-41, PPK-61, PPK-81 and PPK-121 Argus have the following technical features:
- reduced time for setting the distance between tear-off plates;
- equipped with reliable European gearboxes;
- rational mechanism for pulling and chopping stems and leaves;
- 2-way diagram of the operation of a cardan drive through bevel gearboxes;
- minimal drive maintenance;
- silent operation;
- reduced tire pressure on the ground.
Characteristics of the 4-row PPK-41 ARGUS module:
- structural working width - 2.8 m;
- row spacing - 0.7 m;
- weight - 1300 kg;
- transport speed - 9 km/h;
- dimensions - 3920x2990x1600 mm;
- grain crushing - 3-6%;
- losses - 2.5%;
- productivity - 6-8 t/h.
Geringof
In 1998, the German company Geringhoff developed the Star header, which, in the process of further modernization, was modified into adapters called Horizon Star and Sun Star. The company's products allow you to harvest crops in difficult climatic conditions, work efficiently, without losses and with respect for the land and plants.
The advantages of the newest Rota Disc Horizon Star device are:
- quick reconfiguration and adaptation to local conditions;
- automatic control;
- independent drive clutch;
- little wear.
A special feature of the model is the presence of a harvesting system with 2 rotating cutting rotors, including 15 self-sharpening discs, and an integrated separator.
The Mais Star and Mais Star Horizon headers are equipped with an automatic and self-tensioning drive clutch.
All models can be easily mounted on Don type grain harvesting complexes.
Orosh
JSC Linamar Hangeri (Hungary) produces corn headers under the Oros brand. The product range is large. The company has developed corn harvesters from 2 to 16 rows, with a collapsible and rigid design, with and without a chopping mechanism, as well as with various auxiliary options. The technological process is carried out by machines in one pass at a speed of up to 20 km/h. Thanks to the design of the self-supporting frame, the inter-row space is adjustable within the range of 70-100 cm.
New to the model range are the Cornado Oros mechanisms, which can be used under the most extreme cleaning conditions. The white casing of the adapter makes it possible to perform work at night.
Cornado headers are available in 6-, 8- and 12-row, fixed and folding, and can be mounted with any model of combine harvester.
KMS
Serial production of KMS headers is carried out at the Kherson Machine-Building Plant (Ukraine). The first experimental 8-row adapters for harvesting corn without collecting leaves were created in 2003. From the 2nd quarter of 2012, the manufacturer began modernizing the equipment.
KMS-8 headers have a lower structural weight (2980 kg) and low energy consumption, which allows increasing harvesting productivity by 20% and reducing fuel consumption.
KMS adapters work in conjunction with domestic combine harvesters of the Skif, Slavutich, Niva, Don-1500, Palesse brands, as well as foreign complexes John Deere, Klaas, New Holland.
Clover
Russian devices for harvesting corn PPK-81 Clover of the Argus series, working on flat fields with a slope of no more than 8°, are a header without an inclined chamber. Aggregation is carried out using a transition frame directly through the feeder chamber of the combine itself.
Productivity per 1 hour of main time is 14-18 tons. The width of the processed row spacing is standard. The number of harvested rows is 8. The speed of movement of the equipment does not exceed 9 km/h.
A 4-row Argus-470 header with a working width of 2.8 m and a productivity of up to 8 t/h has been developed for the Niva combine. The completeness of cob collection reaches 98.2%.
Other brands
Belarusian Gomselmash has launched the production of KOC equipment sets for harvesting corn for grain for the KZR-10 Palesse GS10R, KZS-10K and KZS-1218 machines.
KOC-6 includes:
- 6-row header with cob separator and cutting device;
- spacer;
- stem removal device;
- threshing deck;
- separating grid;
- trolley supports.
Technical parameters of the module:
- working width - 4.2 m;
- travel speed - 10 km/h;
- efficiency - 21 t/h;
- overall dimensions - 2950x4800x1400 mm;
- weight - 2700 kg.
Italian Capella headers are the only ones with a 2-year factory warranty on main components.
The Capello Quasar machine has a non-standard device with short rollers and a 3-blade chopper. The gearbox is made of aluminum. Each row has autonomous clutch. Working width - 3.18-5 m.
Capella headers are made in a fixed version with 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 rows and a folding version with 5, 6, 8, 9, 10 and 12 rows. Row spacing is no more than 80 cm.
Kemper rotary corn grinders from John Deere with automatic row following, the ability to follow soil topography and movement across crops are used with Don-680 type complexes.
The advantage of Orosh headers
The list of advantages of this model is quite wide. First on the list is chopping the stems and leaves and harvesting the crop at the same time. Some are produced in just one pass, which does not require repeated use of equipment.
In this case, grinding occurs even at high speeds (up to 12 km/h) while maintaining the size of the fraction of plant residues (7 cm). Another advantage is the possibility of modernization by connecting additional modules, for example, for reconfiguration for sunflower harvesting.
An important factor is ease of maintenance. The OROS range of corn headers, which includes both fixed and folding design options, does not require daily inspection, cleaning, lubrication and other technical operations.
Corn harvester Orosh assembled
Operation and Maintenance
The machine is operated in accordance with the instructions, and maintenance is carried out in accordance with the established regulations.
The corn cleaner must be in good condition during its service life. Operating the machine without maintenance is not allowed.
Before work, the header is prepared for assembly and work with the combine. To do this, it is installed on a flat area, attached and pulled in with tightening hooks. Then a run-in is carried out and the heating of the bearings and gearboxes and the tightening of fasteners are checked. The duration of the process is at least 1 hour.
When connecting for the first time, adjust the gap between the hook and the locking rod and adjust the angle of inclination of the cutting knife relative to the ground.
Your success with Rostselmash headers
Bet on legumes The presence of a large number of legumes and laid grains on the farm indicates the need to purchase a header that provides the possibility of a minimum cutting height. The universal low-cut Float Stream headers allow you to collect the maximum harvest and not miss a single grain. Float Stream headers with working widths of 5, 6, 7, 9 and 10.7 m allow you to work at a minimally low cut - the installation cutting height is 3 cm. It is at this distance from the ground surface that up to 20% of the beans are located on plant stems, with which traditional grain headers usually cannot cope with. A mechanism for copying the soil relief allows you to avoid skipping and injuring the beans: a flexible blade bar with a hinged fastening and a flexible bottom consisting of a series of spring shields. With its help, the header overcomes field unevenness in both the transverse and longitudinal directions, keeping the minimum cutting height constant regardless of the terrain. In this operating mode, Float Stream “floating knife” (cutting bar) moves freely relative to the header frame in the range of 0-140 mm, copying field unevenness with the help of runners-shoes. The cutting height is 30 mm and unsurpassed copying of the field topography allows you to harvest most varieties of soybeans, peas, lentils and chickpeas, and with additional equipment, flax as efficiently as possible with minimal losses. In the “hard knife” mode, the cutting bar of the header is fixed to the body, copying occurs exclusively with the body, and the set cutting height is 40, 70 or 100 mm. This mode of operation is more suitable for fields littered with stones and when harvesting grain crops. In tandem with a grain harvester, Float Stream headers provide efficient soybean harvesting at combine speeds of up to 7 km/h. The reel of the header is synchronized with the combine, automatically changing the rotation speed, depending on the harvesting speed, and feeds plant stems to the cutting device, the operating intensity of which is 1260 cycles per minute.
It has been proven by experience that the selected angle of attack of the header prevents fingers from digging into the soil, and stone chippers installed on the cutting bar prevent foreign objects from reaching the blades and auger of the header, which increases the reliability of the machine and protects the cutting unit from damage. Thanks to the stem lifters, Float Stream knives cut even plants that have been laid down or killed by hail and snow. The reel fingers, made of high-strength plastic, withstand extreme temperatures down to -15° and increased cyclic bending loads of up to 400 kg. Thus, the use of a specialized harvester can significantly increase the profitability of cultivating all varieties of legumes and reduce the costs associated with harvesting, while maintaining the high quality of vegetable protein. Chief engineer of Invid-Agro LLC Denis Egorov, Nekhaevsky district: – Our Float Stream reaper manufactured by Rostselmash harvested soybeans. She showed herself well in her work. There are no complaints about it, it’s a very high-quality header. We have trusted the manufacturer for many years. In addition, spare parts and service are nearby. Sun Stream – harvesting without compromise Sun Stream is a universal sunflower rowless harvester that works equally effectively on any varieties of this crop, regardless of the weather and row spacing. The lifters divide the mass of sunflower into streams, providing a continuous supply to the reel and auger of the harvester. At the same time, capturing the sunflower cap is possible in any position of the plant, even on laid down crops. Yuri Makridin, head of a peasant farm, Mikhailovsky district: – We bought two harvesters last year at the height of the harvest. We took it with a working width of 7.8 m, eleven rows, this is optimal for us. They are supplied by KIT LLC perfectly assembled and adjusted. Within an hour after unloading, we began working with these harvesters. Remarkable results, there were no problems in the work: quickly, efficiently, without losses. Sun Stream series headers are designed to maximize combine productivity. Thanks to their reduced weight, they guarantee lower fuel costs, and their simple and reliable design makes them easy to maintain. The cutting device ensures a reliable cut even when working on wet crops. Spherical steel tips and narrowed noses of the dividers protect the sunflower stems from impacts, shaking and rubbing, which minimizes losses due to crumbling grain. Sun Stream headers with a working width of 7.8 and 9.2 meters are aggregated with high-performance combines ACROS, TORUM and RSM-161. The replaceable hitch frame allows the headers to be mounted with combines from other manufacturers. Service 2 years of guaranteed service is another advantage in favor of Rostselmash headers. Official dealer in the Volgograd region - provides a full range of services within the scope of supply of equipment, warranty and post-warranty service. Mobility
In the midst of field work, when every hour counts, you don’t want to waste time on long and difficult transportation. To ensure fast and perfect delivery to the fields, in compliance with all requirements, agricultural enterprises simply need trolleys for transporting adapters. If you have a seeder in your arsenal, as well as a Rostselmash grain, corn, or sunflower harvester, then the Uni Cart transport trolley is simply irreplaceable for you. Rostselmash is the choice of a good owner . Transport trolleys for Uni Cart 3000 and 4000 headers provide easy and safe transportation of equipment, both on public and on-farm roads, and along field roads. Chief Engineer of SPK named after. Lenina Boris Marievsky, Novonikolaevsky district: - We purchased two carts. We were convinced that they were very convenient, easy to use, and it was easy to hook and secure the header to the trolley. They were very useful to us. Currently, Rostselmash offers 2 basic models: single-axle Uni Cart 3000, two-axle Uni Cart 4000. The trolleys of each model have conversion kits - exactly suitable for the transported header. Using removable cradles, they can be converted to transport various adapters (grain, corn, or sunflower harvesters). Uni Cart 3000 allows you to transport equipment weighing up to 3000 kg, with a working width from 5 to 9 m. In this case, the cart as part of the vehicle can: move forward and backward; duplicate light signals of vehicle electrical equipment. This ensures convenience and safety during operation. When using a trolley, there is no need for auxiliary equipment for unloading/loading (mounting, removing) the header and accessories onto the combine or power source. A distinctive feature of the Uni Cart 4000 design is a biaxial frame, which allows you to transport equipment weighing up to 4000 kg, with a working width of up to 12 m. The swinging axle shaft ensures smooth transportation of the header, eliminating its damage. The design is adapted specifically for Russian conditions and roads. In addition to the above “merits”, the carts are easy to use and are endowed with a number of significant advantages: endurance and stability, the rigid supporting structure is reinforced with beams, which gives additional strength; safety of delivery, strong fixation of the header is ensured by four support stands; the transport trolley Uni Cart 4000 is universal and can be easily combined with Rostselmash combines; carts can be used not only for transporting headers and accessories for them, but also for transporting seeders of various modifications. Rostselmash trolleys convince with their quality and reliability. Product certificates and a service guarantee will confirm the correctness of the decision. For questions regarding the purchase of equipment, please contact the official Rostselmash dealer in the Volgograd region - LLC "KiT", Volzhsky, Highway No. 6, building 6B, hotline: 8-960-890-48-88.
Reviews and prices
The purchase price of a corn header is 1.5-4 million rubles, depending on the basic configuration, model, country of manufacture and delivery method. Some suppliers offer equipment with deferred payment, for example, for a domestic reaper NASH-870K you can pay 130 thousand rubles, the remaining amount is after delivery of the products to the farm.
On the secondary market, units can be purchased for 500-700 thousand rubles.
Oleg, 28 years old, Vologda: “I decided to start planting corn on a large plot. I can't afford to buy a new car. Therefore, I rent the reaper, along with the combine and the driver, from a neighboring farmer. It works quickly and efficiently, scatters chopped stems across the field, thereby mulching the soil and fertilizing it, and throws the grain into the cart. Losses are minimal."
Ivan Ignatievich, 57 years old, Sumy region: “We bought new equipment at a factory in Kherson. Serves for a long time and without failures. No repair work was carried out, only maintenance - mandatory and seasonal. The machine is adjustable for both corn and sunflower.”
Corn headers from the best manufacturers on the market
High-quality harvesting requires reliable and precise equipment that can provide maximum productivity with minimal crop losses. And in the case of corn, it is also important to cut off the maximum length of the stalk in order to weed out debris. For these reasons, it is important to contact only trusted manufacturers, and not save on cheap and unknown ones. Currently, there are a huge number of models on the market, each of which has its own characteristics and advantages.
Corn headers
Corn headers, like any other, are used for mowing and transporting crops. Only with the use of equipment from a well-known and trusted manufacturer can you achieve maximum harvest, since cheap units can skip and leave part of the crop simply lying on the field.
Design features
The design of the headers is quite simple, it consists of a hood, which is mainly made of plastic. It has several functions: firstly, it serves to guide the stem towards the cutting mechanism; secondly, an upper transport chain can be placed on top of it, thanks to which the hood can pry up fallen stems, cut and transport them to the auger and feeding mechanism of the combine, thirdly, it simply protects the cutting mechanism from the same stems. The cutting mechanism is quite interesting, as it has two feed chains with 6 knives each, which are made of high-strength steel and can be easily replaced. They feed the stems to the combine, and then they are cut off by rollers with counter-cut knives. Ultimately, the operating principle is the same as that of scissors. Mechanisms for cutting may be different, but their main principle of operation is that while the stalk is transported to the combine, it is cut in small parts to the cob itself, due to which the harvester itself gets a minimum of debris.
Principle of operation
Working with this technique is as simple as possible; when the combine moves forward, the hood fingers separate the stems and direct them to transport knives, which in turn chop the stems and bring the separated cobs to the combine. After which the crop enters the auger mechanism and moves to the conveyor of the combine itself, which is usually presented in the form of a belt.
Review of popular manufacturers
It is important not only to plant the crop well, but also to harvest it, which can only be done by equipment from trusted manufacturers. Low-quality and cheap units can lose up to 50% of the yield when cut, which simply cannot be allowed. Below we present the most popular models with characteristics and a brief description of the main features.
Geringof
The company is one of the leaders in the production of corn headers. It produces both foldable and non-foldable units with different numbers of rows. There are also several options for the cutting mechanism, which affects the quality of cutting and chopping the stem, as well as the final cost of the product. The main goal of the manufacturer is to create a header that can adapt to working conditions in any field and give the best harvesting results.
Technical characteristics of Geringhoff corn headers:
| Model | Number of rows | Row spacing, cm | Transport width, m | Weight |
| RD 500 | 5 | 70-80 | 3,76-4,10 | 1670-1820 |
| RD 800B | 8 | 70-80/30 | 5,80-6,50 | 2520-2740 |
| RD 1200B | 12 | 70-75/30 | 8,60-9,30 | 3870-4180 |
| RD 600F foldable | 6 | 70-80 | 3 | 2185-2380 |
| RD900FB foldable | 9 | 70-75 | 3.75 | 4150-4470 |
Photo of Geringoff RD-870 header
Chapel
The main feature of the manufacturer is to create the most economical and efficient header. The header casing is made of special smooth plastic, which prevents the corn from sticking and ensures its smooth and high-quality movement.
Specifications:
| Model | QUASAR |
| Number of rows: | |
| - rigid frame | 4, 5, 6, 8, 12 |
| - folding frame | 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12 |
| Row spacing, cm | 70-80 |
| Weight, kg | 1210-3650 is not a warehouse. frame 1620-4500 |
| Width, m | 3.18-8.4 rigid frame 2.5-5 |
| Stalk chopper | There is |
Photo of Capello corn header
OROS headers have several key features: firstly, they are fully compatible with all brands of combines; secondly, the versatility of the headers allows you to harvest in just one approach; thirdly, the special design allows you to adjust the row spacing in a wide range, which allows you to work in fields with absolutely any corn crop.
Technical characteristics of OROSH corn headers:
| Number of rows | Row spacing, cm | Width, m | Weight, kg |
| 4 | 70-76,2 | 3 | 1540 |
| 5 | 70-76,2 | 3,92 | 1780 |
| 6 | 70-76,2 | 4,72 | 2020 |
| 8 | 70-76,2 | 6,32 | 2680 |
Video review of the OROSH corn header:
Fantini
The main advantage of headers from this manufacturer is the build quality. The company has a huge plant, which is equipped only with advanced technologies for assembling agricultural equipment. Each new unit undergoes a thorough check before sale and is then tested.
Specifications:
| Number of rows | Row spacing, cm | Transport length, m | Weight without chopper, kg | Weight with chopper, kg |
| 5-9 | 70-75-80 | 3050-7200 | 1200-2600 | 1350-3000 |
| 9-12 | 45 | 4400-5750 | 2450-3200 | — |
On video Fantini corn header
John Deere
The company produces some of the best headers because they have exceptional durability, high performance, prevent crop residue from entering the combine, and also provide the least loss among other manufacturers.
Specifications:
| Number of rows | 6-16 |
| Row spacing, cm | 70-75 |
| Working width, m | 4,2-12 |
| Screw diameter, mm | 46 |
Photo of John Deere corn header
These are domestic reapers that have the best price and quality. The main advantage is the presence of special inserts, thanks to which the units can be installed on Russian and Ukrainian-made combines, for example, Don and Niva. The most popular and widespread models are KMS-6 and KMS-8.
Corn header KMS-6
There are 2 versions of KMS corn headers. The first option is the KMS-6 corn header. It does not differ in build quality and construction materials from the other version, but has significant differences in the design part.
Compared to the other option, it has a smaller working width, and accordingly, in some cases, has lower productivity. The working width is directly related to the design of the KMS-6 corn header itself. Smaller sizes make it much lighter. As a result, there is a difference in the weight of the models.
The KMS-6 corn header is 1200 kg lighter, however, like the other model, it processes a field with row spacing 70 cm wide. The device copes with both upright and lodged plants, which makes field processing easier and reduces losses.
The design is also optimized for working with high-yielding hybrids. For this purpose, the manufacturer specially strengthened the cob auger.
KMS corn headers in assembled condition
