This strip is a wear component mounted on the forage harvester's header. It sits along the lower edge of the gathering unit, where it contacts the crop mat as it is drawn into the feed rolls. The strip protects the underlying sheet metal from abrasion and impact during operation. As the strip wears, the gap between it and the feed-roll housing increases, allowing crop material to bypass the intake and reducing harvest efficiency. This replacement strip restores the original clearance and protects the header structure.