PROCESS FOR PRODUCING HONEYCOMB STRUCTURE AND APPARATUS THEREFOR

There is provided a method of manufacturing a honeycomb structure having a plugged portion, the method being capable of shortening manufacturing time to decrease manufacturing cost, and a manufacturing apparatus thereof. A mask is applied to the honeycomb structure 1, a plugging material 31 having fluidity is supplied on the mask or on the same plane as a surface of the mask, and a plugging apparatus 24 disposed at an acute angle with respect to the surface of the mask and having a pressurizing face for pressurizing the plugging material 31 is moved to fill the plugging material 31 into the cells of the honeycomb structure by pressurizing the plugging material 31 with the pressurizing face. Specifically, a part of the region of the pressurizing face is moved on the mask with being brought into surface contact with the mask via the plugging material 31 to pressurize the plugging material 31 toward the cell side and to push out an extra plugging material 31 in the direction of the movement to further pressurize and fill the material into the cells with forming the region of the surface contact.