ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012)

Terminology for Forage Harvesters and Forage Harvesting

American Society of
Agricultural and Biological Engineers

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ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012)
Approved March 1988; reaffirmed February 2012 as an American National Standard
Terminology for Forage Harvesters and Forage Harvesting
Developed by the ASAE Forage Harvesting and Utilization Committee;
approved by the ASAE Power and Machinery Division Standards
Committee; adopted by ASAE December 1986; revised editorially
February 1988; approved as an American National Standard March
1988; revised editorially July 1989; reconfirmed December 1991;
reaffirmed by ANSI September 1992; revised editorially December 1992;
reaffirmed by ASAE December 1996; reaffirmed by ANSI March 1998;
reaffirmed by ASAE December 2001, January 2007; reaffirmed by ANSI
January 2007; reaffirmed by ASABE January 2012; reaffirmed by ANSI
February 2012.
Keywords: Forage, Harvesters, Terminology
1 Purpose and scope
1.1 The purpose of this Standard is to establish terminology and
specifications pertinent to forage harvester design and performance. It is
intended to improve communication among engineers and researchers
and to provide a basis for comparative listing of machine specifications.
2 Forage harvester basic designs
2.1 Forage harvesters are used to harvest and cut crops into short
particle lengths. The chopped product may be preserved in storage by
ensiling or dehydrating, or it may be fed directly to livestock. Forage
harvesters may be tractor mounted, pull-type (towed), or self-propelled.
2.2 There are two basic types of forage harvesters; precision cut and
non-precision cut.
2.2.1 Precision cut forage harvesters: A forage harvester that uses a
feeding mechanism to meter the crop into the cutting or shearing
mechanism at a uniform velocity; thus, the crop is cut off at regular,
uniform particle lengths generally ranging from 3 to 50 mm. knives driven about a vertical or horizontal axis to impact cut the standing
2.2.2 Non-precision cut forage harvesters: A forage harvester that
generally uses a rotary impact cutting device to cut standing crop or
windrows directly into shorter pieces. The chopped particle length
distribution is not uniform due to the random cutting process of the crop
stems. A secondary shearing device may be incorporated into the crop
blower to recut the crop into more uniform lengths. Typical particle
lengths generally exceed those of precision cut forage harvesters.
3 Forage harvester component terminology and
specifications
3.1 Crop gathering headers: Devices used to gather the crop into the
forage harvester. They are usually detachable from the forage harvester.
3.1.1 Row crop header: A device used to cut off and gather row crops.
Cutting of the plant usually takes place near ground level.
3.1.2 Maize (ear corn) header: A device used to harvest and gather
only the ears of corn (maize).
3.1.3 Pickup header: A device for picking up a previously cut crop. The
crop may be in a swath or a windrow.
3.1.4 Direct cut header: A device capable of cutting a standing crop
across its full width and conveying the cut crop directly into the forage
harvester.
3.2 Header harvesting widths
3.2.1 Row crop and ear corn header harvesting widths: The average
distance between the centerlines of adjacent row units multiplied by the
number of row units. For single row headers, the harvesting width equals
the row centerline spacing. Where row crop unit width is adjustable,
ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012) Copyright American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
maximum and minimum distances between row centerlines shall be
stated, expressed in centimeters to the nearest whole centimeter. The
maximum and minimum harvesting widths shall be expressed in meters
to the nearest hundredth, and the number of row units shall be stated.
3.2.2 Pickup header harvesting width: The minimum distance
between the outermost conveying elements, up to and including the
header side sheets but not the side sheet flared portions, expressed in
meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.2.3 Direct cut header harvesting width: The minimum distance
between the side sheets of the harvesting unit measured directly above
the forward tips of the sickle sections. For rotary impact cutters, the
cutting width is equal to the distance between the innermost and
outermost disk/drum centerlines plus one disk/drum diameter. The width
shall be expressed in meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.3 Header cutting mechanism: A device on the header used to cut off
the standing crop from its root system. The cutting device may be a
sickle, rotary impact knives, rotary disk(s), oscillating scissor, or other
devices for cutting.
3.3.1 Sickle: A cutting device which uses a reciprocating cutter to cut the
standing crop.
3.3.1.1 Sickle frequency: The number of cycles which the sickle makes
in a given time period. One cycle is the full movement of the sickle in one
direction and its return to the starting point. Frequency shall be
expressed in hertz.
3.3.1.2 Sickle stroke: The distance that a point on the sickle travels with
respect to the centerline of a guard in one half cycle expressed in
millimeters.
3.3.2 Rotary impact knives: A rotary cutting device using high velocity
crop (no stationary knife used).
3.3.2.1 Disk cutter: A multiple disk device, using two or more blades per
disk, driven about vertical axes from beneath at sufficiently high rotational
speeds to achieve impact cutting.
3.3.2.2 Drum cutter: A multiple drum device, using two or more blades
per drum, driven about vertical axes from above at sufficiently high
rotational speeds to achieve impact cutting. The blades are located at or
near the drum bottom.
3.3.2.3 Flail cutter: A device using multiple, radially mounted blades that
are pivotally mounted on a horizontal rotor to impact cut. The rotor is
positioned transverse to the direction of travel.
3.3.3 Rotary disk(s): One or two disks per row crop header row unit are
used to shear off the crop. The one disk rotary knife system requires a
stationary knife to shear the crop against. The two disk rotary knife
system requires either a stationary knife or disks that are overlapped and
rotated in the opposite directions such that the crop is sheared off at the
forward intersection of the two disk peripheries.
3.3.4 Oscillating scissor: A device consisting of one pivoting knife with
two cutting surfaces per row crop header row unit. The knife reciprocates
in a semi-circular arc and cuts the crop off against one of two stationary
knives. Knife frequency and knife stroke at the forward most cutting point
shall be determined as specified in paragraphs 3.3.1.1 and 3.3.1.2.
3.4 Header cutting height
3.4.1 Sickle, oscillating scissor, and rotary impact disk or drum
cutter: The cutting height shall be measured at the forward tip of the
cutting element above the plane on which the machine is standing.
3.4.2 Rotary flail cutter: The cutting height shall be established at the
1
minimum distance between the cutting blade rotating periphery and the
plane on which the machine is standing.
3.4.3 Rotary disk(s): The cutting height shall be determined at the point
that the stalks are sheared, either at the forward tip of the stationary knife
or at the forward intersection of the two rotary knife disks.
3.4.4 The header cutting heights shall be established under the following
conditions and expressed to the nearest 5 millimeters.
3.4.4.1 The maximum and minimum heights shall be measured in the
highest and the lowest positions to which the cutting device can be raised
or lowered with the standard lift mechanism.
3.4.4.2 Tire and wheel rim sizes and axle mounting positions shall be
stated, and tires shall be inflated to the field operating pressures Figure 1 Cylinder cutterhead knife rake angle,
recommended by the forage harvester manufacturer.
3.4.4.3 For pull-type (towed) forage harvesters, the tractor drawbar
height shall be stated in millimeters. 3.7 Precision cut cutterhead: A device intended to shear the crop into
3.4.4.4 The plane upon which the forage harvester is standing shall be uniform short lengths.
hard and level. 3.7.1 Cylinder type cutterhead: Knives mounted on cylindrical
3.4.4.5 The type of header installed at the time of measuring shall be mountings such that the knives are essentially parallel to the axis of
stated. rotation. The number of knives per revolution passing by a fixed point
3.4.4.6 The crop container of a self-propelled forage harvester, if so and rotational speed (r/min) shall be specified. The cutterhead diameter
equipped, shall be empty. and width shall be expressed in millimeters.
3.5 Header mass: The mass of the complete header equipped for field 3.7.2 Flywheel type cutterhead: Knives mounted essentially radially
operation. If other equipment options affect the mass, such equipment with the cutting edges describing a plane perpendicular to the axis of
shall be specified. The header mass shall be expressed to the nearest 10 rotation. The number of knives, the number of forage impeller blower
kilograms. paddles, if so equipped, and the rotational speed (r/min) shall be
specified. The inner and outer effective knife cutting diameters about the
3.6 Feeding mechanism to cutterhead (precision cut) axis of rotation shall be expressed in millimeters. The diameter formed by
3.6.1 Feedrolls: One or more cylindrical rolls (generally with protrusions the blower paddles, if so equipped, and the blower housing inside width
or flutes) used to gather, compress and meter the crop into the shall be expressed in millimeters.
cutterhead. 3.7.3 Stationary knife: A knife that provides a stationary edge for the
3.6.2 Feedroll throat area: The throat area shall be calculated by cutterhead knives to shear the crop against.
multiplying the feedroll housing inside width at the plane formed by 3.7.4 Cutterhead knife rake angle
centerlines of the upper and lower rear feedrolls nearest the cutterhead
times the maximum height between the outside diameters of the rear 3.7.4.1 Cylinder cutterheads: The knife rake angle is the included
feedrolls, expressed in square centimeters. angle between the knife leading surface at the cutting tip and a radial line
passing through the knife cutting tip (see Fig. 1).
3.6.3 Theoretical length of cut: A mathematically derived expression
which calculates the theoretical stem or particle lengths produced by a 3.7.4.2 Flywheel cutterheads: The knife rake angle is the included
forage harvester. In the equation, it is assumed that there is no slippage angle between the knife leading surface at the cutting tip and a line
of crop between the feedrolls and that the stems are cut perpendicular to parallel to the cutterhead axis of rotation (see Fig. 2).
the longitudinal axis of the stem. Theoretical length of cut, TLOC, shall be 3.7.5 Cylinder cutterhead knife helix angle: The knife helix angle is
expressed in mm/knife. The crop mat velocity represented by the terms the arc tangent of the arc length described by the knife cutting edge
in the numerator of the TLOC equation is the average peripheral velocity divided by the cylinder width (see Fig. 3).
of the upper and lower rear feedrolls. 3.7.6 Flywheel cutterhead knife shear angle: The included angle
between the cutterhead knife and the stationary knife in a transverse
D 1 N 1 D 2 N 2 / Z direction (see Fig. 4). The average shear angle shall be established with
TLOC
NK
where
D1 is upper rear feedroll effective feeding diameter*, mm
D2 is lower rear feedroll effective feeding diameter*, mm (if used)
N1 is upper rear feedroll speed, r/min
N2 is lower rear feedroll speed, r/min (if used)
N is cutterhead speed, r/min
K is number of cutterhead knives per revolution passing by a
fixed point
Z is number of feedrolls used in the TLOC numerator. (Z=1 for
machines with only one feedroll, otherwise Z=2.)

*Feedroll Effective Feeding Diameter:

A. Smooth feedroll (no protrusions): The effective feeding diameter is equal to
the roll OD (outside diameter).
B. Feedrolls with unmatched protrusions: The effective feeding diameter is
equal to the roll protrusion OD.
C. Feedrolls with matched protrusions: The effective feeding diameter is
equal to the roll protrusion OD minus the depth of one protrusion notch. Figure 2 Flywheel cutterhead knife rake angle,

ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012) Copyright American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers 2

Figure 3 Cylinder cutterhead knife helix angle,
the cutterhead knife cutting edge positioned at the midspan of the
stationary knife.
3.7.7 Recutter screen: A semi-cylindrical band (with holes) mounted
concentric with a cylinder cutterhead. The screen starts beyond the
stationary knife and continues around the discharge opening. The
chopped crop is recut by the cutterhead knives as the crop passes
through the screen holes. The recutter screen is used primarily to reduce
particle lengths that are substantially beyond the theoretical length of cut.
The screen hole dimensions shall be expressed in millimeters.
3.8 Non-precision cut flail chopping rotor (cutterhead): Multiple,
radially mounted flail blades pivotally mounted on a rotor positioned
transverse to the direction of travel and parallel to the ground. The swath
or windrow or standing crop is cut directly by the flail blades into shorter,
random lengths by impact cutting (no stationary knife used). The If equipment options or such items as static weights, tire ballast,
number of rotor flail banks per revolution, total number of flails, and
rotational speed (r/min) shall be specified. The rotor diameter shall be
expressed in millimeters. The rotor width shall be expressed in meters to
the nearest hundredth.
3.9 Crop delivery devices: A mechanism used to propel the chopped
crop from the forage harvester through a converging section to the
transport container. Typical propelling devices are:
3.9.1 Cylinder or flywheel cutterhead
3.9.2 Flail chopping rotor
3.9.3 Cylinder impeller blower: A device consisting of multiple rows of
radial, fixed or free swinging paddles mounted on a transverse rotor. The
crop is fed essentially tangentially to the rotor. The number of paddle
banks, total number of paddles, and rotational speed (r/min) shall be
specified. The rotor diameter and width shall be expressed in millimeters.
3.9.4 Flywheel impeller blower: A device generally using one row of
paddles mounted essentially radially to the axis of rotation. The crop is
fed into the blower essentially parallel to the axis of rotation. The number
of paddles and rotational speed (r/min) shall be specified, and the blower
diameter and blower housing inside width shall be expressed in
millimeters.
3.10 Self-propelled forage harvester specifications
Figure 4 Flywheel cutterhead knife shear angle,
ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012) Copyright American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
3.10.1 Engine power: The corrected gross, rated, brake power, kW,
measured in accordance with Society of Automotive Engineers Standard
SAE J1349, Engine Power Test CodeSpark Ignition and Compression
IgnitionNet Power Rating, at the governed engine rpm which shall be
stated. Where particular markets require the use of different test code for
determining engine power, the engine test code shall be stated; however,
the engine power determined by SAE Standard J1349 shall also be
included.
3.10.2 Engine displacement: Engine volumetric displacement shall be
expressed in liters to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.3 Turning radius: The distance from the turning center to the
center of tire contact of the wheel describing the largest circle while the
vehicle is executing its shortest turn without turning brakes in operation.
The measurement shall be made on a hard, level surface. The wheel
base and guide wheel tread width shall be stated. Turning radius shall be
expressed in meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.4 Clearance radius: The distance from the turning center to the
outermost point of the forage harvester executing its shortest turn without
turning brakes in operation. If equipment options or crop headers affect
this dimension, such equipment shall be specified. The crop header shall
be fully raised. The wheel base and guide wheel tread width shall be the
same as in paragraph 3.10.3. Clearance radius shall be expressed in
meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.5 Self-propelled forage harvester mass: The mass of the
complete machine equipped for field operation, but without the crop
header mounted unless it is an integral part of the machine. The mass
shall be determined under the conditions specified in paragraphs 3.4.4.2,
3.4.4.4, 3.4.4.6, and the fuel tank shall contain a maximum of 20 L fuel.
additional fuel, etc., are included in the mass, such items shall be
specified. Self-propelled forage harvester mass shall be expressed to the
nearest 10 kg.
3.10.6 Self-propelled forage harvester length: The overall dimension
from the foremost point to the rearmost point of the machine with and
without crop header(s) measured parallel to the longitudinal centerline of
the forage harvester. If other equipment options or attachments affect the
length, such equipment and related dimensions shall be specified. The
crop header shall be fully raised. The length shall be expressed in meters
to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.7 Self-propelled forage harvester width: The overall side to side
dimension of the machine with and without crop header(s). If other
equipment options or tire sizes and axle positions affect the width, such
equipment and related dimensions shall be specified. The width shall be
expressed in meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.8 Self-propelled forage harvester height: The vertical distance
from the plane on which the machine is standing to the highest point on
the machine. The height shall be measured under the conditions
specified in paragraphs 3.4.4.2, 3.4.4.4, 3.4.4.5, 3.4.4.6, and with a
maximum of 20 L fuel in the fuel tank. The height with all components in
position for transport and the height with all components in position for
field operation shall be specified. If optional equipment affects height,
such equipment and related dimensions shall be specified. Machine
height shall be expressed in meters to the nearest hundredth.
3.10.9 Self-propelled forage harvester spout discharge height: The
vertical distance from the plane on which the machine is standing to the
top of the spout cap when horizontal. Where spout height is adjustable,
maximum and minimum height shall be specified. The height shall be
measured under the conditions outlined in paragraph 3.10.8, expressed
in meters to the nearest hundredth. Spout discharge heights shall
conform to ASAE Standard S328, Dimensions for Compatible Operation
of Forage Harvesters, Forage Wagons, and Forage Blowers.
3.10.10 Fuel tank capacity: The usable capacity of the fuel tank shall
be expressed in liters to the nearest whole liter.
3.11 Side mounted and pull-type (towed) forage harvester
specifications
3.11.1 Forage harvester power rating: The maximum and minimum
3
tractor PTO (power take-off) power levels at which the forage harvester
was designed to be operated. The power shall be expressed in kilowatts
and the PTO speed shall be stated as 540 or 1000 r/min.
3.11.2 Forage harvester PTO category size: The forage harvester
PTO hookup size (category 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6) shall be specified as
defined by American National Standard ANSI/ASAE S331, Implement
Power Take-Off Driveline Specifications. The tractor PTO shaft diameter
and number of spline teeth required shall be stated.
3.11.3 Forage harvester mass: The mass of the complete machine
equipped for field operation, but without the crop header mounted unless
it is an integral part of the machine. The mass shall be determined under
the conditions specified in paragraphs 3.4.4.2 and 3.4.4.4. If other
equipment options affect the mass, such equipment shall be specified.
The mass shall be expressed to the nearest 10 kilograms.
3.11.4 Forage harvester length: Length shall be determined as outlined
in paragraph 3.10.6.
3.11.5 Forage harvester width: The overall side to side dimension of
the machine with and without crop headers set for transport and for field
operation. If other equipment options or tire sizes and axle positions
affect the width, such equipment and related dimensions shall be
specified. The width shall be expressed in meters to the nearest
hundredth.
3.11.6 Forage harvester spout discharge height: Height shall be
determined as outlined in paragraphs 3.10.9, 3.4.4.2, 3.4.4.3, 3.4.4.4,
and 3.4.4.5.
3.11.7 Side mounted forage harvester hitch category size: The
tractor three-point hitch category required to lift and operate the machine
shall be specified per American National Standard ASAE S217, Three-
Point Free-Link Attachment for Hitching Implements to Agricultural Wheel
Tractors.
4 Crop terminology
4.1 Crops that are typically harvested with forage harvesters are
grasses, alfalfa, clover, or mixtures of grass, alfalfa, and clover, forage
cereals, corn (maize), and sorghum.
4.2 Moisture content: Moisture content of the crop shall be expressed
on the wet basis. The moisture content shall be determined per ASAE
Standard S358, Moisture MeasurementForages.
4.3 Plant length: The length of the unharvested plant from ground level
to its tip when the plant is straightened, expressed in centimeters.
4.4 Stubble height: The length of the plant stalk attached to the ground
immediately after harvesting, expressed to the nearest whole centimeter.
5 Forage harvester performance specifications
5.1 Items defining forage harvester performance specifications are
capacity, machine specific energy, crop throw distance, particle length
distribution, and corn kernel fracture. When these items are measured,
the crop and its moisture content, theoretical length of cut, and recutter
screen (if used) shall also be stated.
5.1.1 Capacity: The forage harvester capacity shall be expressed in
metric tonnes (wet mass) per hour.
ANSI/ASAE S472 DEC1986 (R2012) Copyright American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers
5.1.2 Machine specific energy: The forage harvester specific energy
shall be expressed as power divided by capacity on kW h/t (wet mass).
5.1.3 Crop throw distance: The horizontal distance which the forage
harvester propels the crop to the left or right, 90 deg to the direction of
travel, in no wind conditions. The distance shall be measured from the
spouts vertical centerline at its plane of rotation to the center of crop
material mass on the ground, expressed to the nearest meter. The
measurement shall be done on a level plane. Spout discharge height
shall be stated as specified in paragraph 3.10.9 or paragraph 3.11.6.
5.1.4 Particle length distribution: The chopped crop particle length
distribution shall be determined per American National Standard ANSI/
ASAE S424, Method of Determining and Expressing Particle Size of
Chopped Forage Materials by Screening, or by hand sorting.
5.1.4.1 Hand sort method: The procedures outlined in ANSI/ASAE
Standard S424, Method of Determining and Expressing Particle Size of
Chopped Forage Materials by Screening, shall be used to determine
particle length distribution except that the sample shall be sorted by hand
into the following lengths, L :
ASAE screen sizes* Particle length, mm
1 L 27
2 18 L 27
3 9 L 18
4 5.6 L 9
5 2 L 5.6
6 0 L 2
*Corresponds to screen number in ANSI/ASAE Standard S424, Method of
Detemining and Expressing Particle Size of Chopped Forage Materials by
Screening.
Particle length sizes correspond to diagonal length of holes in ASAE screens.
5.1.5 Corn (maize) kernel fracture: This is a measure of a forage
harvesters ability to abrade, crack, or break the kernels. It shall be
expressed as the percentage to the nearest one-half percent of
undamaged kernels to the total field kernel population. Dye penetrants
may be used to determine invisible kernel fracture.
Cited Standards:
ANSI/ASAE S331, Implement Power Take-Off Driveline Specifications
ANSI/ASAE S343, Terminology for Combines and Grain Harvesting
ANSI/ASAE S424, Method of Determining and Expressing Particle Size
of Chopped Forage Materials by Screening
ASAE S217, Three-Point Free-Link Attachment for Hitching Implements
to Agricultural Wheel Tractors
ASAE S328, Dimensions for Compatible Operation of Forage Harvesters,
Forage Wagons, and Forage Blowers
ASAE S358, Moisture MeasurementForages
SAE J1349, Engine Power Test CodeSpark Ignition and Compression
IgnitionNet Power Rating
4