Method for manufacturing aerosol-generating substantially cylindrical semi-finished products, the method comprising the steps of: - combining substantially cylindrical segments having a longitudinal axis in an end-to-end relationship along a longitudinal first motion path, thereby performing the following steps along the first motion path: - feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three different segments in end-to-end relationship and in alternating order, wherein one of the at least three different segments is an aerosol-forming substrate; - wrapping the stream of at least three different segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments; - cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods; - processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, thereby performing the following step along the second motion path: - receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum; wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the endless rod of segments is arranged parallel to a moving direction of the first motion path and wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the wrapped segment rods are arranged perpendicular to a moving direction of the second motion path; - cutting the wrapped segment rod thereby dividing the wrapped segment rod in two parts; - separating the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod along the longitudinal axis of segments of the cut wrapped segment rod. - combining substantially cylindrical segments having a longitudinal axis in an end-to-end relationship along a longitudinal first motion path, thereby performing the following steps along the first motion path: - feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three different segments in end-to-end relationship and in alternating order, wherein one of the at least three different segments is an aerosol-forming substrate; - wrapping the stream of at least three different segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments; - cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods; - feeding a stream of at least three different segments along the first motion path, thereby arranging the at least three different segments in end-to-end relationship and in alternating order, wherein one of the at least three different segments is an aerosol-forming substrate; - wrapping the stream of at least three different segments in a sheet material to form an endless rod of segments; - cutting the endless rod of segments, thereby separating the endless rod of segments into wrapped segment rods; - processing wrapped segment rods along a second motion path, thereby performing the following step along the second motion path: - receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum; wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the endless rod of segments is arranged parallel to a moving direction of the first motion path and wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the wrapped segment rods are arranged perpendicular to a moving direction of the second motion path; - cutting the wrapped segment rod thereby dividing the wrapped segment rod in two parts; - separating the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod along the longitudinal axis of segments of the cut wrapped segment rod. - receiving the wrapped segment rods in flutes of a fluted receiving drum, wherein an end of the first motion path is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the flutes of the fluted receiving drum; wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the endless rod of segments is arranged parallel to a moving direction of the first motion path and wherein the longitudinal axis of segments in the wrapped segment rods are arranged perpendicular to a moving direction of the second motion path; - cutting the wrapped segment rod thereby dividing the wrapped segment rod in two parts; - separating the two parts of the cut wrapped segment rod along the longitudinal axis of segments of the cut wrapped segment rod.