Manufacturing machine and manufacturing method for the production of a filter for a tubular element for a smoking article. The following are provided: a folding drum which rotates around a rotation axis to move, along a circular folding path at least one holding head designed to accommodate a sheet having an inner portion and an outer portion; a feeding station where the holding head receives the sheet and engages the sole outer portion of the sheet leaving the inner portion of the sheet free; an insertion station where the holding head releases the sheet having the inner portion folded like a bellows; and a folding device which is arranged along the folding path between the feeding station and the insertion station and is configured to fold the inner portion of the sheet like a bellows. The holding head is mounted on the folding drum so as to radially translate outwards in the feeding station to receive the sheet and so as to radially translate outwards in the insertion station to release the sheet.

An apparatus for automatically forming a casing for smoking articles which contains a filter includes a first forming unit configured to form the filter starting from a first shaped sheet, and a second forming unit configured to form the casing starting from a second shaped sheet. The first forming unit includes at least one first forming mandrel rotatable around a first axis of rotation thereof to form the filter, and the second forming unit includes at least one second forming mandrel to form the casing.

An apparatus for automatically forming a casing for smoking articles which contains a filter includes a first forming unit configured to form the filter starting from a first shaped sheet, and a second forming unit configured to form the casing starting from a second shaped sheet. The first forming unit includes at least one first forming mandrel rotatable around a first axis of rotation thereof to form the filter, and the second forming unit includes at least one second forming mandrel to form the casing.