Analysis on the Contact Interaction between Thresher and Corn Ears Based on the DEM

The corn threshing process is a complex process of contact interaction between thresher mechanical parts and corn ears. The paper analyzed this process with the discrete element method (DEM). A method was set up to calculate the contact forces between thresher mechanical parts (boundary) and corn ears. The conditions for corn kernels threshing were established as well. On this basis, we developed the corn threshing simulation software, and simulated the corn threshing process using the software. The simulation results are close to the actual situation, and the results verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the new method. Thus we have laid the foundation for using the DEM to analyze the corn threshing process and putting forward a novel method for the optimal design of the corn thresher.