Method of producing an insulated exhaust device

1. A method of providing external insulation for an exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device having a maximum operating temperature T MAX , the method comprising:

providing a blanket of silica fiber insulation material having a weight percentage of SiO 2 of greater than 65%;

calcining the blanket by heating all of the silica fiber insulation material to a temperature T greater than T MAX , wherein T is less than a melting temperature of the silica fibers of the blanket;

securing the blanket around an outermost surface of the exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device after the calcining step; and

encapsulating said blanket in a covering after the calcining step and prior to the securing step whereby said blanket is batting in said covering, wherein said covering between said blanket and said exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device is a selected one of wire mesh or high temperature textile.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein T is at least 1.05×T MAX .

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said high temperature textile is a selected one of siliconized fiber glass or straight woven glass fiber.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein during the calcining step the blanket is in an uncompressed state.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein T MAX is within the range of 300° C. to 1100° C.

6. A method of providing external insulation for an exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device having a maximum operating temperature T MAX , the method comprising:

providing a blanket of silica fiber insulation material having a weight percentage of SiO 2 of greater than 95%;

calcining the blanket by heating all of the silica fiber insulation material to a temperature T greater than T MAX , wherein T is less than a melting temperature of the silica fibers of the blanket;

securing the blanket around an outermost surface of the exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device after the calcining step; and

encapsulating said blanket in a covering after the calcining step and prior to the securing step whereby said blanket is batting in said covering, wherein said covering between said blanket and said exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device is a selected one of wire mesh or high temperature textile.

7. A method of providing external insulation of ran exhaust gas after treatment or acoustic device having a maximum operating temperature T MAX , the method comprising:

providing a blanket of silica fiber insulation material having a weight percentage of SiO 2 of greater than 65%;

calcining the blanket in an uncompressed state by heating all of the silica fiber insulation material to a temperature T greater than T MAX , wherein T is less than a melting temperature of the silica fibers of the blanket and is at least 1.05×T MAX and T MAX is within a range of 300° C. to 1100° C.;

encapsulating said blanket in a covering after the calcining step whereby said blanket is batting in said covering; and

securing the blanket around an outermost surface of the exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device after the encapsulating step;

wherein said covering between said blanket and said exhaust gas aftertreatment or acoustic device is a selected one of wire mesh or high temperature textile.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein said high temperature textile is a selected one of siliconized fiber glass or straight woven glass fiber.