The right size is only part of getting drum filter media right. A replacement also needs to suit the dust or fiber your process generates and work with the filter’s airflow and suction-cleaning system. That makes ordering more than a matter of matching dimensions, especially if your equipment or production conditions have changed. At IBIS International, we cut and sew standard and custom filter media for supported equipment. Here is what to confirm before you order replacement filter media, from the material specification to the fit and attachment details.
Which drum filter and filtration stage need replacement media?
Start with the machine and the exact location of the media. This guide covers drum filters that remove dust and fiber from process air in manufacturing plants. The media forms the filtering surface over the drum. Air passes through it, while the media retains material that the suction-cleaning system removes. Identify that surface clearly when your system also includes a disk pre-separator or downstream filter banks.
Gather the equipment records
Send the manufacturer, model, serial number, and existing media part number where available. Add the original drawing reference or a previous order for media that worked correctly.
Describe the current equipment
Tell us about modifications, including changes to the drum, mounting arrangement, or cleaning equipment. A historical drawing may describe the original machine rather than the configuration you operate today. For older equipment, our process air filtration parts and service offering includes support for IBIS, Vee Max, Circle Vee, and selected other manufacturers’ systems.
Which media specification suits your process?
Confirm the existing material specification and explain what the filter handles. When ordering air filtration filter media, describe the dust or fiber, the production process, and any changes since the last successful replacement. Dust concentration, or the amount of dust in the incoming air, helps define the filtration duty. A matching size alone does not establish whether the media suits that duty. Useful information includes:
- Material handled: Identify the fiber, dust, or mixture entering the filter.
- Operating conditions: Provide known temperature and moisture conditions, plus any unusual contamination.
- Process changes: Note new materials, additional production lines, or changes in operating hours.
- Existing specification: Include the material grade, thickness or fabric weight where documented, and filtration requirements.
Industrial dust collector filter media varies by equipment and application. Do not transfer a specification from a baghouse, MAC collector, or filter bank to a drum filter simply because both handle dust.
Check airflow as well as dust capture
Media must capture the required material while allowing the system’s design airflow. Ask for the proposed media’s airflow-resistance data at the relevant operating conditions, especially when changing grades. Treat a request for finer filtration as a specification review. Confirm how the proposed media works with the fan and cleaning system before approving a substitute.
What measurements and attachment details should you confirm?
Ask which dimensions your supplier needs before measuring or removing media. Confirm the measurement method and units, and distinguish the drum dimensions from the finished media dimensions. Before anyone opens equipment or takes internal measurements, follow the equipment manual and the plant’s isolation and lockout procedures.
| Detail to confirm | What to provide |
| Media coverage | Coverage along the drum’s axis and around its circumference, using the supplier’s measurement method |
| Finished construction | A drawing or photographs of edges, seams, and closures, where present |
| Attachment arrangement | Photographs of the actual mounting points and retaining components |
| Quantity | The number of pieces required for each identified machine |
| Measurement source | Whether each dimension comes from a drawing, unused spare, or removed media |
An old piece can help identify construction, but wear or distortion can make its dimensions misleading. Mark damaged areas and flag any disagreement between the sample and your records. A drum diameter is not the same as the distance around it. Label each measurement clearly rather than sending two unlabelled numbers. Do not add a cutting allowance or copy a stretched dimension without confirmation. Ask the supplier to establish the finished size and any required allowance. For custom filter media, clear dimensions and construction details give the supplier a basis for reviewing the request.
Should you check the cleaning system before replacing the media?
Yes, particularly when uneven buildup or repeated damage prompted the order. Describe why you need filter media replacement so the enquiry addresses the operating problem as well as the replacement item.
Explain what prompted the change
Was this a planned replacement, visible damage, or a change in airflow? Record when the problem began and whether it affects the whole drum or a particular area. If available, include differential pressure readings: the difference between pressure on the dirty-air and clean-air sides of the filter. This indicates resistance to airflow between those measurement points. Compare readings under similar operating conditions. A rising pressure drop can reflect dust buildup or a cleaning problem; it does not, by itself, prove that the media needs replacement. Use the equipment’s specified limits, not a generic replacement threshold.
Identify the cleaning arrangement
IBIS drum-filter cleaning arrangements include sealed rotary valves and poppet valve manifolds that control suction through the cleaning nozzles. Tell us which arrangement your equipment uses, if known. Drum speed also affects how long each section of media stays under a cleaning nozzle. This interval is the cleaning dwell time. Increasing drum speed shortens it, so faster rotation does not automatically mean better cleaning. Use the approved operating settings and request a review when cleaning becomes uneven. This information helps distinguish a media requirement from a cleaning-system issue that also needs attention.
What should your replacement-media quote include?
Bring the equipment, media, and operating information together in one request. Our filter media and spare-parts team can review requirements for supported equipment, including standard and custom media sizes. Before sending the enquiry:
- Identify the machine: Include its make, model, serial number, and relevant drawing or order reference.
- Describe the media: Attach the specification, confirmed measurements, and clear photographs.
- Explain the requirement: State the quantity, reason for replacement, and any equipment or process changes.
- Provide the schedule: Include your plant location, delivery address, and planned maintenance date.
Ask the quotation to identify the proposed media, dimensions, quantity, and any attachment items it includes. Confirm uncertain details before approving the order, especially when photographs and drawings show different arrangements. Discuss availability and delivery before committing to a shutdown date. The item, quantity, and fabrication requirements can affect the schedule. Request a replacement-media quote from IBIS International. Send your equipment details and the information you have. Identify anything you cannot confirm so we can review the remaining requirements with you.
FAQs
Can I start an enquiry without a media part number?
Yes. Provide the equipment description, serial number if available, photographs, and any drawings or previous order records.
Can IBIS supply media for a drum filter from another manufacturer?
We support selected other manufacturers’ equipment. Share the make, model, and media requirements so we can confirm support for your particular filter.
Can I include other industrial filter elements in the same enquiry?
Yes. List each machine and item separately, with its own specifications and quantity. Keep photographs and drawing references linked to the correct equipment.
Can I send a used media sample for identification?
Ask us before shipping it. Describe the material it has collected and its condition, then confirm whether a sample would help and how to prepare it for assessment.
Should I order an extra set for future maintenance?
Consider your replacement history, confirmed lead time, and storage conditions. Ask for storage guidance before deciding how much spare media to hold.
Can IBIS help with service during the media change?
Send your plant location, equipment details, and planned work. We will confirm available service support and the scope for your location.