Apparatus and method for manufacturing filter

An apparatus for manufacturing a filter, the apparatus comprising:

• a pleats-forming unit configured to deliver a filter substrate in a first direction and then to successively fold the filter substrate into alternate mountains and valleys;
• a first belt part disposed downstream of the pleats-forming unit in the first direction, the first belt part being configured to contact with the mountains and valleys of the filter substrate to compress the mountains and valleys of the filter substrate in the first direction;
• a second belt part disposed downstream of the first belt part in the first direction, a traveling surface of the second belt part being provided with a catching mechanism configured to catch the mountains and valleys of the filter substrate, the second belt part being configured to pull the mountains and valleys of the filter substrate in the first direction to form a predetermined pitch between each adjacent pair of the mountains or valleys;
• and
• a control unit configured to control a traveling speed of the second belt part to be higher than a traveling speed of the first belt part.