- Cutting of stalk material is a core process within the whole harvesting period. During the entire harvesting, every stalk is cut at least one time. For other agricultural processes, such as grain crop harvesting or mulching of brownfields, cutting processes belong also to the main techniques. They have a significant influence on the efficiency and profitability of agricultural machines. Minimizing wear has a high level of importance regarding an environmental friendly and resource efficient agriculture. Wear during agricultural cutting processes is mainly caused due to abrasion and impact stress. Blunt and deformed blades affect the energy efficiency and the cutting quality. The increase of fuel consumption and frequent machine breakdowns with an involvement of high labor and material costs generate considerable economic losses. A consequent, methodical optimization of the wear behavior of the blades can offer a high saving potential of ecological and economic resources. The bladeCutting of stalk material is a core process within the whole harvesting period. During the entire harvesting, every stalk is cut at least one time. For other agricultural processes, such as grain crop harvesting or mulching of brownfields, cutting processes belong also to the main techniques. They have a significant influence on the efficiency and profitability of agricultural machines. Minimizing wear has a high level of importance regarding an environmental friendly and resource efficient agriculture. Wear during agricultural cutting processes is mainly caused due to abrasion and impact stress. Blunt and deformed blades affect the energy efficiency and the cutting quality. The increase of fuel consumption and frequent machine breakdowns with an involvement of high labor and material costs generate considerable economic losses. A consequent, methodical optimization of the wear behavior of the blades can offer a high saving potential of ecological and economic resources. The blade geometry, base material and heat respectively surface treatment substantially determine the wear resistance. Under technological and economic considerations these parameters have to be optimized. Therefore, a test method has been developed at the FMDauto in cooperation with the Ennepetaler Schneid- und Mähtechnik (ESM) GmbH & Co KG. The test bench enables to test different blades of agricultural machines under standardized and repeatable conditions. This paper presents the test bench and the results of several wear tests. The examinations of the abrasive wear and the impact stress on cutter blades are shown. Algorithms developed at FMDauto are used to analyze the results. It is carried out that further developments of the analyzing methods to describe the sharpness and disruptions of cutter blades are reasonable.…

