###### Abstract  
Reducing ear damage is the key to improving the quality of maize harvests. In order to reduce the impact and damage of the ear caused by the ear snapping mechanism, this paper proposes a method to convert ear deformation energy during collision into elastic potential energy in the ear snapping mechanism. According to the above method, a low-damage maize snapping mechanism was designed. In order to verify the feasibility of energy conversion in reducing damage, the dynamic model of the contact between the ear and the snapping plate was established, and a dynamic simulation analysis was carried out based on the finite element method (FEM). In order to obtain better parameters for the improved mechanism, a test rig was established, after which a performance test was carried out on the test rig. The results showed that the primary and secondary order that affected the ear damage rate was the rotational speed of the snapping roller, the spring stiffness and the forward speed. The data processing software Design Expert was used to optimize the parameters, it was concluded that when the rotational speed was 805 r-min\({}^{-1}\), the forward speed was 1.29 m\(\cdot\)s\({}^{-1}\), the spring stiffness was 33.5 N\(\cdot\)mm\({}^{-1}\), the model predicted that the ear damage rate was 0.023%. Therefore, this paper could provide further reference for research into maize low-damage ear snapping technology. maize harvest; low-damage snapping; deformation energy; energy conversion; test +
Footnote †: journal: Applied  
of compressed displacement and largest pressure distribution when the threshing tooth obliquely impacted against the rice kernel based on contact mechanics [11]. Moreover, they analyzed the impact between the threshing tooth and the rice kernel using LS-DYNA software. [PERSON] et al. examined the factors affecting the collision force and friction force between the ears and peeling roller, for which they designed rubber-cast iron mixed rollers for ear peeling [12]. [PERSON] et al. studied different coating materials, coating thicknesses, and rotational speeds in the undulating teeth of a harvesting machine in order to evaluate the damage incurred to intact drupes [13]. Furthermore, [PERSON] et al. utilized a pendulum impact platform to analyze different cushioning materials on the impact absorption on fruit, showing that a cushioning material with a firmness rating of 4.8 kPa or higher could provide sufficient cushioning for apples [14]. In order to reduce the force on the fruit during harvesting, scholars have carried out investigations from the perspective of energy to provide a basis for the improved design of the mechanism. [PERSON] et al. used a pendulum device to study the effect of impact times and impact energy absorbed by fruits-on-fruits damage degree, demonstrating that the damage degree increased according to a power function with the total impact energy absorbed of all impacts [15]. Later, they studied the impact behavior between fruit and a rigid plate and proposed power models with a high coefficient of determination to fit the relationship between impact energy and compressed depth for both cultivars based on elastic theory [16]. [PERSON] conducted finite element method (FEM)-based explicit dynamics simulations so as to investigate the impact deformation characteristics of pears while assessing energy conversion during the impact process [17]. [PERSON] et al. utilized FEM to predict the Bruise susceptibility of harvested kiwifruit and analyze the energy change during the drop test [18]. Furthermore, various studies have focused on the minimum energy causing agricultural material damage. Specifically, [PERSON] et al. found that the probability of incurring a Bruise on a young coconut fruit was well correlated with compression or impact energy below the Bruise threshold [19]. Accordingly, young coconut fruit was found to be much more susceptible to bruising under impact than under compression based on the variations in the minimum energy level required to bruise the fruit. [PERSON] et al.