The machine used to manufacture cigarette filters is professionally known as a cigarette filter rod making machine, commonly referred to in the tobacco industry as a filter rod maker or filter plug combiner.
1. Core Function and Introduction
This is the key equipment that processes raw materials such as cellulose acetate tow into standard filter rods. The core working process involves opening the fiber tow, applying a plasticizer such as glyceryl triacetate, heating and forming, cooling and solidifying, and finally cutting the continuous rod into precise lengths. The machine transforms loose, fluffy tow into a firm, uniform cylindrical filter rod with consistent density and circumference.
The opening rollers, heating mandrels, cooling tracks, and cutting knife assemblies in this process must maintain high dimensional stability and wear resistance under continuous high-speed operation. Hansheng Automation provides custom machining of these filter rod maker components based on customer drawings, including small-batch production and material selection support.
2. Main Brands and Models
Leading suppliers and widely used models in the tobacco industry include:
HAUNI (Germany): The KDF series, such as KDF2, KDF3, and KDF4, is the most widely applied filter rod making equipment worldwide, known for high speed, stability, and precision.
Molins (UK): The PM series is also an important choice in the market.
Changde Tobacco Machinery Co., Ltd. (China): The YF17 series and similar models are major domestic choices among Chinese tobacco manufacturers.
3. Workflow and Integration
A filter rod maker is typically linked with a cigarette maker to form a combined filter cigarette making and tipping line. The continuous filter rods produced by the filter maker are delivered directly to the cigarette maker through a transfer system, where they are cut to length and combined with cigarette rods and tipping paper to produce complete filter cigarettes.
