The combine harvester is a powerful machine that can harvest crops and separate them into different types. The main components of the combine include the cutter bar and the threshing drum. The cutter bar cuts the plant at the base, removing light items like stems and leaves. The rotating screws direct the cut crops up the conveyor and into the main body of the machine. In the center of the combine, the threshing drum breaks up the plants and separates the grains and stalks.

A typical combine harvester machine can harvest about 100 to 200 acres per day. Its predecessors were model 21s that could harvest 30 acres a day and could be afforded by three or four farmers. But the newer models can harvest up to 200 acres per hour, allowing more efficiency.

The earliest versions of the combine were pulled by horses or ox teams. Then, International Harvester developed a tractor-pulled combines that were able to harvest more than 40 acres per day. During the 1920s, combining became more common, and by the mid-twentieth century, combine harvesters with a cutting width of several meters were being used on American farms. In 1882, Australian inventor Hugh Victor McKay developed a similar design. The result was the first commercially produced combine harvester.

Before the emergence of the combine harvester, harvesting was a labor-intensive task. Without the combine, American farmers would have to cut the stalks with a scythe or beat them with a flail. They would then have to winnow the crops to separate the edible grains.

Combine harvesters are huge machines with many working parts. Their main purpose is to cut and collect crops in a field and move them into the belly. These machines are designed to separate the grain from the plant, thereby increasing efficiency and reducing the overall cost of farming. The harvesting process also allows for higher yields, which makes farms more profitable.

The first combines had a tendency to tip over when steep hills were encountered. As a result, they could cause fires if they fell. Additionally, it was difficult and dangerous to pick up a combine that has fallen. A tilting mechanism was invented by Holt in 1891 to solve this problem.

There are different types of combine heads that can be interchanged depending on the type of crop being harvested. For instance, the standard header is used for cereal crops. It features a revolving reel with metal teeth. Once cut, the crop falls into the auger. The "flex" header is designed to cut soybeans close to the ground.

There are over 130 parts of a combine harvester. Beginners can begin by learning about the most important components of the machine.