The pleating process in creating pleated filters is a critical process. With such a wide range of media and properties for different applications, it requires equipment that can perform without affecting the filter media's performance.
Pleated filters offer increased surface area and density for selected applications without impacting air flow, which allows the filter to collect more particles without increasing pressure drop or energy consumption.
Pleating Processes
Before a pleated filter is made, manufacturers have to identify the type of pleats, it's properties, and the media required for the different applications and needs. Some manufacturers also offer custom and hybrid options to support the needs of different manufacturing scenarios.
Below are some of the common pleating processes:
Blade-type pleating
Suitable to produce filter pleats with varying sizes and depths.
Capable of supporting multi-layer filter media and can create “M”-style pleats.
Frequently used for higher-efficiency pleated filters.
Versatile enough to handle materials from delicate membranes to multi-layer woven and sintered materials.
Rotary-type pleating
Suited for applications where the filter media and pleat height remain fairly consistent.
Known for production speed and precision.
Commonly used by automotive filter manufacturers, as well as industrial filter manufacturers working with cellulose media.
Servo-type pleaters
Offers the ability to pleat at varying heights and support materials of various thicknesses at high speeds.
Common pleat types with this technology include marker pleat, the taper pleat, step pleat, and “W” pleat, with the ability to support various media combinations such as heavy-duty mesh, expanded metal, epoxy-coated mesh, stainless steel material, etc.
Star pleaters
Commonly used in HVAC pleat production.
A good fit for high-volume pleat production with expanded metal laminated HVAC media, as well as the self-supporting polyester HVAC media.
Capable of pleating multiple layers of media at once and typically have independent frames to enable easy removal when swapping out star wheel and frame assemblies for different production requirements.
Mini-pleat machines
Commonly used to provide spacing between media pleats via a hot-melt adhesive to achieve the desired airflow in a filter.
Grown in popularity as media and adhesive technologies have advanced and are now the go-to method for pleat separation in many filtration applications, such as HEPA and ULPA filters.
Graver Technology manufactures pleated filters which are configured to provide a higher surface area than depth filters for greater dirt holding capacity and longer on-stream life including large diameter high flow filters.
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