By Senjie Filter Press Engineering Team · Last updated: 2026-09-10
Quick answer: Membrane filter press price depends mainly on plate size and automation level: indicative FOB China ranges run roughly US$8,000-15,000 for a small 470-630 mm manual unit, US$25,000-80,000 for a mid-size 800-1250 mm unit, and US$150,000-400,000+ for a large 1500-2000 mm fully automatic unit. These figures are indicative — request a quotation against your specific slurry and plate count.
Because a membrane filter press price depends on far more than plate size alone, buyers comparing quotations need to know what specifications drive the number up or down before they can compare suppliers fairly. This guide covers typical price ranges by plate size, what a standard quotation includes, the specification choices that change price the most, and how membrane filter press price compares with a standard chamber press.
What does a membrane filter press price typically look like by plate size?
Membrane filter press price scales closely with plate size and total filter area, since larger plates require a bigger hydraulic cylinder, heavier frame, and more filter plates to reach the same chamber count. The table below gives indicative FOB China ranges for a mid-specification membrane filter press at each standard plate size; automation level and plate material can move these figures up or down by 20-40%.
| Plate size | Typical filter area range | Indicative FOB China price range |
|---|---|---|
| 320-470 mm | 1-10 m² | US$5,000-15,000 |
| 630-800 mm | 10-40 m² | US$15,000-40,000 |
| 1000-1250 mm | 40-150 m² | US$35,000-90,000 |
| 1500-1800 mm | 150-500 m² | US$90,000-250,000 |
| 2000 mm | 500-1000 m² | US$200,000-400,000+ |
These ranges are indicative — request a quotation once plate count, filter area, and automation level are confirmed against your slurry data.
What is included in the base membrane filter press price?
The base membrane filter press price normally covers the steel main frame, hydraulic closing cylinder and power unit, a full set of membrane and core filter plates, filter cloth for the initial fit, feed inlet manifold and piping, and a basic control panel with pressure gauges. Items commonly quoted separately include the feed pump, filtrate collection piping beyond the press outlet, a cake conveyor or hopper, automatic plate-shifting mechanism, and automatic cloth washing spray bars.
- Standard inclusions: frame, hydraulic system, filter plates, cloth, feed manifold, control panel.
- Common options: feed pump (diaphragm, screw, slurry, or ceramic piston), cake conveyor, drip tray, automatic cloth washing, PLC with remote monitoring.
- Usually excluded from FOB price: sea freight, marine insurance, import duty, and site installation labor.
Buyers should always ask for a line-item quotation rather than a single lump-sum figure, so it is clear which of these items are included before comparing membrane filter press price between suppliers.
Which specification choices change membrane filter press price the most?
Automation level and plate material change membrane filter press price the most, often by 20-40% at a given plate size. A manually operated membrane filter press with hand-shifted plates costs the least; adding semi-automatic hydraulic plate shifting raises price moderately; a fully automatic unit with PLC-controlled plate shifting, automatic cloth washing, and remote monitoring sits at the top of the range for its plate size.
- Plate material: standard polypropylene (PP) plates rated to 90 °C cost less than glass-reinforced PP plates rated to 120 °C for hot or chemically demanding slurries.
- Automation level: manual < semi-automatic < fully automatic with PLC and automatic cloth washing.
- Hydraulic system quality: closing pressure capacity (20-25 MPa) and cylinder quality affect both price and long-term reliability.
- Filter cloth grade: monofilament PP, PA/nylon, or PET cloth at different micron ratings changes the initial cloth cost included in the quotation; see filter press cloth options.
How does membrane filter press price compare with a chamber filter press?
A membrane filter press typically costs 20-40% more than a chamber (recessed-plate) filter press of the same plate size, because it adds membrane plates, a squeeze-pressure air or water system, extra piping, and control valves that a chamber press does not need. Membrane squeeze pressure runs 1.5-2.0 MPa on top of standard feed pressure of 0.6-1.0 MPa, and this additional system is the main source of the price gap.
The extra cost is often worth paying back through operating savings: membrane presses commonly cut cake moisture by 10-15 percentage points versus chamber presses on the same slurry, and cycle times of 30-90 minutes versus 1-4 hours for chamber presses mean more throughput per press per day. Buyers weighing both options can compare the chamber filter press line against the membrane line before deciding which price-performance balance fits their operation.
What ongoing costs should be added to the purchase price?
Ongoing costs beyond the initial membrane filter press price include filter cloth replacement (typically every 3-12 months depending on slurry abrasiveness), hydraulic oil and seal maintenance, membrane replacement (less frequent than cloth but a real cost over the machine’s life), and electricity for the hydraulic pump and any automation. Buyers should budget filter cloth as a recurring line item from year one rather than treating it as a rare replacement.
- Filter cloth: replaced every 3-12 months; a full spare cloth set is worth keeping in stock.
- Hydraulic maintenance: periodic oil changes and seal inspection on the closing cylinder.
- Membrane life: membranes see repeated flexing and typically last longer than cloth but should be inspected at each cloth change.
- Feed pump wear parts: diaphragms, valves, or rotor/stator wear depending on pump type used with the press.
How can a buyer get an accurate quotation instead of a rough estimate?
An accurate membrane filter press price quotation requires sending the supplier your slurry’s solids concentration, particle size range, required daily throughput or cake moisture target, and any chemical or temperature constraints, rather than asking for a price by plate size alone. Two operations asking for the “same” 1000 mm membrane press can receive very different valid quotations once one specifies glass-reinforced plates for a 100 °C process and the other specifies standard PP plates for ambient-temperature duty.
Sending a slurry data sheet alongside the request also lets the supplier confirm whether a standard chamber press, a membrane press, or a plate-and-frame configuration is actually the better fit before pricing anything, which avoids paying for membrane squeeze capability an application does not need.
Why buy your membrane filter press from Senjie?
Senjie is a China-based manufacturer of chamber, membrane, plate-and-frame, and fully automatic filter presses, founded in 2014 and exporting to 40+ countries across Southeast Asia, India, Africa, the Middle East, and Latin America. Senjie also manufactures the filter plates, filter cloth, and feed pumps used with its presses, so buyers can source a matched membrane filter press system rather than combining components from multiple suppliers.
Review the membrane filter press line and the broader filter press range for standard plate configurations; indicative FOB China price ranges by plate size are available on request — request a quotation with your slurry data for a firm figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a typical membrane filter press price range?
Indicative FOB China prices for a complete membrane filter press typically run from roughly US$8,000-15,000 for a small 470-630 mm unit up to US$150,000-400,000+ for a large 1500-2000 mm automatic unit with PLC control, depending on plate count, filter area, and automation level. These are indicative figures only — request a quotation against your slurry data for a firm price.
What is included in a standard membrane filter press quotation?
A standard quotation covers the main frame, hydraulic closing cylinder and power unit, membrane and core filter plates, filter cloth, feed inlet piping, control panel, and basic safety guarding. Feed pumps, filtrate piping beyond the press, cake conveyors, and automatic cloth washing are commonly quoted as options.
Why does membrane filter press price vary so much between suppliers?
Price varies mainly with plate material (standard PP vs. glass-reinforced PP), automation level (manual, semi-automatic, or fully automatic plate shifting), hydraulic system quality, and filter area, so two presses quoted for the ‘same’ plate size can differ by 30-50% depending on these specifications.
Does a membrane filter press cost more than a chamber filter press of the same size?
Yes, typically 20-40% more, because a membrane press adds membrane plates, a squeeze-pressure air or water system, and additional piping and valves that a standard chamber press does not need. The higher cost is offset over time by drier cake and shorter cycles.
Are shipping and import duties included in an FOB China price?
No. FOB China pricing covers the equipment loaded at the Chinese port only; sea freight, insurance, import duties, and inland transport at the destination are additional and vary by country and shipping terms, so buyers should request a full landed-cost estimate separately.
Ready to spec the right filter press for your application? Contact Senjie’s engineering team for a free sizing recommendation and an indicative quotation.