System and method for making pleated filter media

A method of forming a framed pleated filter, the method comprising:

• operating a lower conveyor of a pleat spacing station at a selected conveyor rate and operating an upper conveyor of the pleat spacing station at the same selected conveyor rate, wherein the lower conveyor extends upstream of the upper conveyor,
• receiving a gathered pleated segment of a web of filter material at the pleat spacing station, the gathered pleated segment having a plurality of pleats including a plurality of pleat tips and a plurality of pleat valleys, and arranged in a first configuration defined by a maximum first distance between adjacent pleat tips;
• adjusting and setting the arrangement of the plurality of pleat tips within the pleat spacing station into a second spaced configuration defined by a second distance between adjacent pleat tips to form a pleated filter segment with a pleat spacing defined by the second distance between adjacent pleat tips, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance and varies as a function of the selected conveyor rate;
• wherein the step of adjusting and setting the plurality of pleats within the pleat spacing station includes disposing a first reinforcing material between the upper conveyor and the pleat tips to apply the first reinforcing material to the pleat tips and bonding the first reinforcing material to the pleat tips, so that the first reinforcing material provides dimensional stability to the pleats of the pleated filter segment,
• and,
• securing the pleated filter segment within a perimeter frame to provide a framed pleated filter comprising the pleated filter segment that exhibits the pleat spacing defined by the second distance between adjacent pleat tips.