What Is a Combine Harvester?
A combine harvester is an agricultural machine used for harvesting crops such as rice, wheat, and grains. It can simultaneously perform the tasks of cutting, threshing, and sorting during the harvest.
The machine can also cut and trim grass and stems during the harvest, allowing it to maintain fields or rice paddies in a clean condition even after use. The combine harvester significantly contributes to reducing labor and shortening the operation time, making it an indispensable agricultural machine for harvesting.
The term “combine” comes from the English word “combine,” which means to join together. It is named as such because the combine harvester combines multiple operations into one machine. In Japan, it is commonly referred to as a “combine harvester.”
Uses of Combine Harvester
Combine harvesters are primarily used for harvesting crops like rice, wheat, and grains. While tractors are also used in grain cultivation, the two machines serve different purposes. The cultivation process for grains can be broadly divided into three steps: plowing, planting, and harvesting. Tractors handle plowing, while combine harvesters are responsible for harvesting.
Features of Combine Harvester
Advantages
The primary advantage of a combine harvester is its ability to perform cutting, threshing, and sorting operations simultaneously. This allows a single combine harvester to handle the entire process from cutting to sorting, resulting in reduced labor, improved work efficiency, and shortened operation time.
Disadvantages
Due to its dual functions of cutting and threshing, the combine harvester is a complex machine with a high number of parts. This complexity leads to increased maintenance time and costs. Additionally, if the combine harvester experiences a malfunction, it cannot perform any of the tasks from cutting to sorting.
Types of Combine Harvester
There are two types of combine harvesters: “Self-Propelled Combine” and “Conventional Combine,” which are chosen based on the type of crop and the size of the farm.
1. Self-Propelled Combine
Self-propelled combines are mainly used in Japan for harvesting rice and wheat. These combines offer high sorting capabilities, enabling precise operations. They are efficient for working in narrow paddies.
2. Conventional Combine
Conventional combines are commonly used in large farms in the United States and Europe. They are useful for harvesting crops such as rice, wheat, soybeans, azuki beans, seed harvesting, and miscellaneous grains. The ability to change the cutting parts allows conventional combines to handle various crops efficiently.
In Japan, they are widely used in large-scale field harvesting operations.
How to Choose a Combine Harvester
1. Self-Propelled Combine
If the main harvest operations are for rice or wheat, choosing a self-propelled combine is recommended. Selecting the size, horsepower, and cutting sections of the combine according to the field’s scale is crucial.
2. Conventional Combine
For large-scale harvesting operations of crops like soybeans and buckwheat in vast fields, choosing a conventional combine is ideal. It is necessary to select a combine with the appropriate functions and horsepower for the crops to be harvested.
Attachments can be exchanged to adapt to multiple crops, making conventional combines advantageous for crop rotation and diversified agriculture from a cost perspective.
Other Information on Combine Harvester
Driving License for Combine Harvester
When operating a combine harvester on public roads, a driving license is required.
1. Small Special License or Regular License
If the combine harvester meets the conditions of “length under 4.7m, width under 1.7m, height under 2.0m, and maximum speed under 15km/h,” it is considered a small special vehicle. A regular driver’s license allows one to operate a small special vehicle.
2. Large Special License
If the combine harvester exceeds any of the criteria for a small special vehicle, a large special license is required. Obtaining a large special license allows the operation of certain construction machines, not limited to combine harvesters.