Abstract: In order to prolong the working life and shorten the time for bearings replacement, the guide pulley for suction band in ZJ17 cigarette maker was modified. A two-section pulley shaft composed of a fixed shaft and a sleeve was designed. A flange was added on the pulley for dust prevention and bearing positioning. The bearing size was enlarged for reducing the frequency of bearing damage. The modified guide pulley was tested on a ZJ17 filter cigarette maker in Jinan Cigarette Factory, the results showed that the frequency of guide pulley bearing damage decreased from 3.6 to 1.2 times/month, and the time for bearing replacing shortened by 18.5 min. This method provides a support for promoting the operation efficiency of cigarette maker.