Get in touch with Suzhou UDTECH Technology Co., Ltd. Company
Filter Cartridge Making Machines
UDTECH designs three filter cartridge making machines: a PP melt blown line, string wound winder, and CTO activated carbon extrusion line. While each line makes a different cartridge, it is worth noting that different variables hold each rating, and that they play a different role in the downtime spent to change them.
- The specification envelope for all three line families, shown side by side in one table.
- What moves the price, what the payment terms are, and what a quotation covers.
- The two purchases first-time buyers almost always get in the wrong order.
Send a drawing, a photo or a written specification. Whatever you already have is enough to start a configuration.
Quote turnaround
Within 24 hours, from someone who has read your specification
Minimum order
1 set. We build and ship single lines
Filtration accuracy
1–100 micron across the melt blown and
PP melt blown line
Using a single pass, polypropylene granules go in and finished depth cartridges come out through these stages: extrusion, fiber placement on a rotary mandrel using hot air to thin the fiber, and cutting. The line uses a fully automatic control system with no yarn, no adhesive, and no core.
- Best for sediment and general depth filtration sold in volume, where the cartridges have graded density through the wall.
- This is also known as a PP spun filter cartridge machine in India and the Middle East. Same process, same machine, different market terminology.
- Watch the cartridge weight behind any published piece count.
- Sold into water purification pre-treatment, circulating cooling water, boiler water and general water treatment, plus pharmaceutical, electroplating and beverage.
String wound winder
Textile fibre yarn is wound onto a porous core under controlled tension and traverse. The yarn winding machine runs at 60–320 m/min and takes PP or stainless steel cores.
- Ideal for high dirt-holding jobs and larger particle bands. Also used in shops that prefer to change rating by changing yarn as opposed to changing the process recipe.
- Cores come off of a separate extrusion line which is the machine that most first-time buyers do not factor into the cost.
- View the yarn specification. It carries more of the result than the machine does.
- Sold into reverse osmosis (RO) pre-treatment and general water filtration.
CTO carbon block line
Activated carbon granule and PE powder are mixed, fed, extruded through a heated barrel, cooled, cut and dust-extracted. The line runs 24 hours without a break and produces one 10 inch cartridge every 50–60 seconds.
- Best for chlorine removal, taste and odor removal in point-of-use and point-of-entry cartridges.
- Constraint: one extruder produces one combination of inner and outer diameter, and changing it requires barrel and screw changes.
- Notice the dust. The line has a collector for a reason.
- Sold into point-of-use and point-of-entry water filtration, where an activated carbon block cartridge removes chlorine, taste and odor.
What buyers call these machines
Search vocabulary fluctuates from market to market. A filter making machine, a filter machine, a filter cartridge machine or a spun filter manufacturing machine all refer to the same three lines. In India and the Gulf, similar equipment is searched as a pp filter making machine, a spun filter making machine or an RO spun filter manufacturing machine, because most of these cartridges end up in reverse osmosis (RO) pre-treatment. As a filter cartridge machine manufacturer we quote them the same, regardless of the name you end up with.
The Chain Before the Cartridge
A cartridge plant is not a machine. Five classes of machines fill the gap between a lump of polymer and a boxed cartridge, and every competitor page in this category sells exactly one.
| Stage | Equipment class | What it decides |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Core | PP tube extrusion line | Whether you buy cores or make them, and the bore every wound cartridge is built on |
| 2. Forming | Melt blown line, wound winder or carbon extruder | The medium, the micron band and the output rate |
| 3. End caps | Gluing and capping machine | Which housings your cartridge fits. See The Second Machine Question below |
| 4. Wrapping | Carbon block filter wrapping machine | The non-woven outer layer on carbon cartridges |
| 5. Inspection | Test rig and packing | Whether batch ten matches batch one |
UDTECH produces machines for stages one to four. The Chain Before the Cartridge explains why a quote for a cartridge plant is not equivalent to a single machine price, and why we ask you what you’re planning to sell before we ask which machine you’re interested in.
Ancillary machines that finish the cartridge
UDF tube making machine
for PP cores and profiles: 20 kW per set rated, 10 kW/h running, footprint 1.5 m by 13.5 m, and a minimum of 30 square meters of floor area.
Full-automatic gluing and capping machine
for carbon rods: AC 220 V / 50 Hz, 2000 W, PLC and HMI control, automatic ejection, non-woven wrapping, heat welding, automatic discharge.
Filter wrapping machine units
Full-automatic carbon block filter wrapping machine units and semi-automatic gluing and capping machine units for slower throughput lines.
Not sure which line fits what you sell?
Answer four questions and get a shortlist
Start the Line SelectorCartridge Output Formats and End-Cap Welding Scope
The Second Machine Question
Everyone knows which machine is the first one to buy. The Second Machine Question, however, is usually not about buying another forming line.
The wound and melt blown lines we manufacture ship with the ability to produce double open ended cartridges.
Every 222, 226, fin and single open end configuration is added by a separate end-cap and adapter welding operation, which is its own machine class and its own line on the quotation.
The Second Machine Question is answered by your customers’ housings, not by which medium sells the most.
If your customers purchase 222 and 226 fittings, your second machine is a capping machine, and the forming line you purchased as the first part of the plant is half of the plant.
End-cap routes and where each one sits
Adhesive bonding
Heat and fusion welding
Spin welding
Integral molding
We build the heat-welding route: a full-automatic gluing and capping machine at AC 220 V / 50 Hz and 2000 W with PLC and HMI control. It is quoted as its own scope rather than bundled into the forming line, so you can see what you are paying for.
Specification Envelope Across the Three Lines
Every figure shown below comes directly from UDTECH for their machines. The table applies to the same machines whether your market calls them melt blown lines or spun filter manufacturing machines.
| Specification | PP melt blown | String wound | CTO carbon block |
|---|---|---|---|
| Filtration accuracy | 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 50 up to 100 micron | 1, 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 micron | Set by carbon grade and binder ratio |
| Default inner diameter | 28 mm (1.10 in) | 28 mm (1.10 in) | 38 mm (1.50 in) |
| Inner diameter range | 10–150 mm (0.39–5.91 in) with a matched mandrel shaft | 28 mm standard, other bores on request | 9–100 mm (0.35–3.94 in) |
| Outer diameter | 38–120 mm (1.50–4.72 in) at 28 mm bore | 29–150 mm (1.14–5.91 in) | 63 mm default, 29–150 mm (1.14–5.91 in) range |
| Cartridge length | 254 / 508 / 762 / 1016 mm (10 / 20 / 30 / 40 in) | 254 to 1016 mm standard (10 to 40 in), longer to order | 127 / 254 / 508 / 762 mm (5 / 10 / 20 / 30 in) |
| Cartridge weight | 70–200 g (2.5–7.1 oz), adjustable | Set by yarn and layer count | Set by wall thickness |
| Output | 3,500–4,200 pcs / 24 h on 2E&2M, 5,000–5,800 on 3E&3M | 60–320 m/min winding speed | One 10 inch cartridge every 50–60 seconds |
| Connected power | 70 kW on 2E&2M, 100 kW on 3E&3M | 0.18 kW at 10 in to 0.55 kW at 40 in | 16.45 kW per set |
| Running power | 28–32 kW/h on 2E&2M, 38–40 kW/h on 3E&3M | Motor rated as above | 8 kW/h when running |
| Supply voltage | AC 380 V / 50 Hz or 220 V / 50 Hz | AC 380 V / 50 Hz, other voltages configurable | AC 380 V / 50 Hz |
| Duty cycle | Continuous | Continuous, automatic stop when the yarn package is full | Runs 24 hours without a break |
| Feedstock | Polypropylene granules | PP yarn, PP or stainless steel core | Activated carbon granule and PE powder |
| Core material | Coreless | PP core, stainless steel core, others on request | Coreless |
| Cam material | Not applicable | Polyoxymethylene | Not applicable |
Measure your line before you request pricing.
Enter in the cartridge weight and length you would sell and the output shown above convert into the amount you would actually get.
Pricing Mechanism, Lead Time and Payment Terms
A filter cartridge making machine price is not a list number, it is an output of the configuration. Prices for this equipment class in platforms range from around USD 20,000 to USD 50,000 per machine, and that range is configuration, not negotiation.
Where a first plant usually starts
If you are sizing a small filter cartridge making machine for a first plant, the entry melt blown line at 3,500–4,200 pieces per 24 h is where most producers start, because it covers the widest cartridge market with one set of tooling. Five decisions move the number from there.
Throughput tier
Two extruder and die sets or three on the melt blown line, which would move the base cost and connected load from 70 kW to 100 kW.
Dimensional range
Bores outside the 28 mm default would need a matched mandrel shaft, and lengths outside the standard set would need tooling.
Automation scope
Servo cutting and winding stations, and any end-cap and adapter welding, are separate line items rather than parts of the forming line.
Electrical package
Matching your local grid is standard. Anything outside 380 V / 50 Hz or 220 V / 50 Hz is a quotation line item.
Documentation package
Export documentation and factory inspection support are quoted with the order.
Terms
Detailed conditions for production.
30% T/T deposit releases the build slot, with the balance settled before shipment. Letters of credit are accepted.
1 set. We build and ship single lines.
The string wound winder is scheduled at 30 working days. Melt blown and carbon block lines are quoted against specification.
12-month warranty from delivery.
Energy per line, on its own declared basis
Below is what each line draws and what it produces. Read each row on its own, because the three lines make different cartridges and ranking them against each other on kilowatt-hours would compare three different products.
Hover mouse to reveal data table ➔Energy Specifications Overview
| Line | Connected | Running | Published output, and its basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melt blown 2E&2M | 70 kW | 28–32 kW/h | 3,500–4,200 pcs / 24 h. Cartridge weight is adjustable across 70–200 g, ask us to restate. |
| Melt blown 3E&3M | 100 kW | 38–40 kW/h | 5,000–5,800 pcs / 24 h at the same open basis |
| String wound | 0.18–0.55 kW | Motor rated | 60–320 m/min of yarn. Pieces per shift depend on cartridge length and layer count. |
| CTO carbon block | 16.45 kW / set | 8 kW/h | One 10 inch cartridge every 50–60 seconds, continuous |
Two comparisons in that table are like for like
- Our melt blown line draws 28–32 kW/h against a published competitor figure of 30–35 kWh on a 65 kW machine of the same type.
- Another listed melt blown line that has a comparable output of 3,200–4,200 pieces per day uses 37 kW per hour.
Knowing the energy consumption is important, but it won’t be the decider here. In a cartridge plant’s cost base, utilities occupy a single digit percentage, whereas the raw material cost is the major contributor. This means the carbon and the resin you source locally will impact your margin more than the motor rating.
Factory Run-Off, Documentation and Warranty
Every line is assembled and test-run at our factory before it ships. That run is where the recipe for your cartridge specification is proved, and it is the only point at which a defect can still be corrected by the people who built the machine.
What ships and what we commit to
- An operation manual and a commissioning video ship with the line.
- Inspection support and the support for the preparation of export documents are included in the quoted price.
- Installation assistance, startup and commissioning support, and technical support for the automatic control system, with a direct line to technical service for overseas customers.
- 12-month warranty from delivery.
The interval that decides batch ten
The risk on these processes is never the first batch because the die and spinneret passages that hold your rating narrow as the polymer degrades against the hot metal. Talk to some experienced melt blow producers and they will tell you that the hardest part of the job is product stability, not capacity.
A line that passes its factory run can deteriorate within weeks if cleaning is neglected, which is the trade-off for every unattended-running claim in this category.
On the carbon line the equivalent is binder build-up in the barrel.
Plan the spares position at the order stage. Buyers negotiate hard on price and rarely think about the morning two years out when the machine stops working, and by then spare-part lead times run into weeks while an idle line costs far more than the part.
This is a live research problem rather than a settled one. The published continuous melt blown apparatus cited above introduces a control and interface layer to add overall equipment effectiveness, total effective equipment performance, loading time, utilization, performance and yield.[5]
Machine safety scope, settled at quotation
Guarding, interlocks, emergency stop circuits, anchoring and positioning requirements should be on the proposal and not discussed after delivery. Two other tasks are now yours as the employer.
- 29 CFR 1910.212 covers general machine guarding for rotating parts and nip points, which every winder and every extruder has.[4]
- 29 CFR 1910.147 discusses control of hazardous energy and the lockout and tagout procedure for the die head and barrel that your maintenance team will be required to perform.
- Electrical approval. 29 CFR 1910.303(a) requires workplace electrical equipment to be approved, and 29 CFR 1910.399 resolves that to acceptance by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.[1] A CE mark is a European instrument and does not satisfy it.
- NFPA 79 pertains to the electrical equipment of industrial machinery and NEC Article 409 requires an industrial control panel to carry a short-circuit current rating on its label.
Certifying the cartridges your line makes
This is the point that is most frequently mis-sold in this category, so here it is simply. Certification applies to the complete cartridge and the system it is in, not to the machine, and no machine can transmit its status to the cartridges it produces.
| Standard | Scope | What gets tested |
|---|---|---|
| NSF/ANSI 42 | Aesthetic effects: chlorine, taste and odor, chloramine, particulate, iron, manganese, zinc, total dissolved solids | Material safety including content to NSF/ANSI/CAN 372, structural integrity, and the specific reduction claims made[2] |
| NSF/ANSI 53 | Health effects: over 50 reduction claims including lead, Cryptosporidium, volatile organic compounds and chromium | The same three-part structure, against health-related claims |
| NSF/ANSI 401 | Emerging compounds: up to 15 claims covering prescription and over-the-counter drugs, herbicides and pesticides | The same three-part structure |
| NSF/ANSI 61 | Drinking water system components | What a component leaches into drinking water |
Three consequences for anyone planning a line
- Material safety means that your resin and carbon supply chain are included within the certification.
- Structural integrity means the cartridge has to withstand pressure which is a result of the forming process you are purchasing.
- Certifications pertain to the individual product, meaning a certified cartridge of 10 inches does not certify your 20 inch cartridge.
Certification bodies are not limited to one organization. NSF, IAPMO, WQA and UL Solutions all operate accredited programs against these standards, and the micron band you intend to sell decides which standard you end up testing to.
From Enquiry to Commissioned Line
Enquiry
Every enquiry is answered within 24 hours by someone who has read your specification.
Configuration
We provide a line configuration and a proforma along with the ancillary machines that your specification requires.
Order
30% T/T deposit releases the build slot.
Build and run-off
The line is assembled and test-run at our factory against your cartridge specification.
Balance and shipment
The balance is done prior to shipment, and the line is crated for ocean freight along with its documentation.
Commissioning
Installation assistance and startup support, with technical service reachable directly.
What a quotation for imported equipment should cover
A United States law firm that handles China equipment disputes sets out seven questions a buyer should settle before paying.[3] They make a good test of any quotation, including ours.
The danger is thinking you contracted directly with a factory and learning during a dispute that your actual counterparty is an intermediary with little control over production.
Harris Sliwoski LLP, on the first of the seven questions
The second most common mistake in this area is a structural mistake and not a legal mistake. Buying standalone machines instead of the line the plant actually needs is a recurring entry on production-line purchasing checklists. This is what The Second Machine Question tries to address. Filter cartridge making machine manufacturers publish output in pieces per day and almost never publish the cartridge weight behind this, which is the same problem one step upstream.
Where Each Line Is the Wrong Choice
Three duties that these machines should not be sold into, and one family of products that we do not manufacture at all.
Melt blown
This line is the wrong choice when your customer specifies an absolute rating with a defined level of efficiency at a defined particle size. Nominal rating cannot be substituted for absolute rating, and the two cannot be used interchangeably on a purchasing specification.
A pleated line, which we do not manufacture.
String wound
This line is the wrong choice when the work is fine polishing before a membrane and the customer is sensitive to fiber shedding. With this specification, winding buys you dirt holding capacity and costs you fine polishing capability, and the single pass data above shows how much retention moves with yarn selection.
Melt blown for the fine end. Wound deserves some credit on dirt-holding capacity and for use in the pre-treatment of reverse osmosis, where the spun filter manufacturing machine vocabulary is standard.
CTO carbon block
Wrong when your customers need industrial throughput. Carbon block does carry documented particulate reduction claims under NSF/ANSI 42[2], but that standard's scope is point-of-use and point-of-entry systems, and certification requires a stated filter capacity per cartridge. It does nothing for a duty measured in cubic meters per hour.
Melt blown or wound for industrial pre-filtration.
Pleated cartridge production is outside our scope.
It is a different equipment family built around media and a supporting cage rather than around formed fibre: pleating, seam welding and end-cap infrared welding. If that is what you need, machines on this page are not applicable.
Filter Cartridge Production Evaluation Tools
Which cartridge line fits what you sell
Four answers, one shortlist. The model behind it is stated below the result, so you can disagree with it on the record rather than guess what it did.
The Changeover Tax, in hours
All three lines are described as customizable. What that word costs differs by a factor of sixteen between them, and this puts a number on it before you commit to a machine.
Energy per 1,000 cartridges
A running kilowatt figure means nothing until you divide it by what the line actually made that day. This does the division on one line at a time, which is the only comparison that holds.









