Filter forming and joining method

This invention relates to apparatus and methods for forming metal-free filter elements from pleated blocks of filter material. A filter forming and joining method of the present invention automatically forms a succession of metal-free cylindrical filter elements from a pleat block of pleated filter material, each pleat block having a first end pleat at a first end of the pleat block and a second end pleat at a second end of the pleat block. The method includes using a pleat block isolator for isolating successive individual pleat blocks from other pleat blocks in a succession of pleat blocks in preparation for filter formation, a filter former for manipulating each isolated pleat block along a forming path into a hollow cylinder shape, the hollow cylinder-shaped isolated pleat block having a first end pleat and a second end pleat positioned adjacent each other, and a filter joiner for bonding together the adjacent first and second end pleats of each hollow cylinder-shaped isolated pleat block producing a metal-free cylindrical filter element.