Back in the 70s when I started twisting wrenches. Fram filters were known to be a quality part, they then got bought out by Allied Signal Corp. Allied Signal is a conglomerate that is known for buying up automotive companies.
This is when when all the cost cutting cardboard and glued parts first showed up on the base economy filters. Fram is capable of building good quality filters, the powers to be made the decision to build the lowest quality, cheapest materials to get into the low cost market, and still have a brand name on the can.
In testing I've seen their synthetic middle priced filers do test just fine at particulate removal. A classic example of, "you get what you pay for".
I doubt someone on this board that has a $10,000 plus dollar engine is going to go to the local Walmart and buy the $3 Fram filter and put it on a serious high performance engine.
When I owned my Pennzoil service station the Pennzoil filters were made by Fram for Pennzoil. We compared the filters side by side, and from what we could see the filters appeared identical. My 69 GP race car had a 428 in it with a SD, 80 PSI pump. On a cold start my 120 LB oil pressure gauge would peg at idle. I never blew out the O ring on the base, nor did it deform the can. This was before Allied Signal higher ups started cheapening the guts of the base filter. I definitely would never attempt that with their $3 economy filter today...............
GM has sold some real pieces of crap that passed for automobiles, they've also made some really great cars. You're never going to buy a Cadillac for the price of a Vega, but the same company built, and sold both cars.............
Summary is, Fram can, and has built high quality filters in the past, they certainly know how to make a performance oil filter as the pics Grandam1979 has posted. The $3 orange can of death will never see the engine compartment on any of my own cars, not worth the gamble to save a buck or two. Back in the 70s, I would not have a problem using a Fram standard oil filter on my own stuff, but it's no longer made the same, or from the same materials.