Method and apparatus for producing ceramic honeycomb structure

1. A method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure comprising the steps of machining end surfaces of an unsintered or sintered ceramic honeycomb structure, and ejecting a gas from a slit-like orifice moving in X-axis, Y-axis and Z-axis directions relative to an opposing end surface without contact, thereby removing dust and/or cut pieces from an end surface portion without using a brush, wherein a gap A between said orifice and said end surface is 1-35% of the length L of said ceramic honeycomb structure.

2. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said slit-like orifice has a slit width of 0.5-5 times the cell pitch of said ceramic honeycomb structure.

3. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said gap A between said orifice and said end surface is 5-100 mM.

4. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein compressed air at pressure P of 0.2-0.5 MPa is ejected from said orifice for cleaning.

5. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said gap A between said orifice and said end surface is changed to conduct said cleaning step 2 or more times.

6. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 5 , wherein said gap A is gradually reduced to repeat said cleaning step.

7. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 5 , wherein said cleaning step is conducted 2 times.

8. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 7 , wherein said gap A is 50-100 mm in the first cleaning step and 5-50 mm in the second cleaning step.

9. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein to conduct cleaning, a gas is ejected onto one end surface of said ceramic honeycomb structure, and then onto the other end surface thereof.

10. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein dust attached to end surface portions has the maximum diameter of 1.2 mm or less.

11. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein cleaning is conducted while the gas is sucked by a hood opposing an end surface on the opposite side of said end surface under cleaning.

12. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 11 , wherein the flow rate Q 1 (m 3 /s) of a gas ejected from said slit-like orifice and the flow rate Q 2 (m 3 /s) of a gas sucked by said hood meet the relation of Q 1 <Q 2 .

13. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein after conducting said cleaning, dust remaining in the cells of said ceramic honeycomb structure is inspected.

14. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein the amount of water in said unsintered ceramic honeycomb structure is 0.1-2%.

15. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein masking members are disposed on an outer peripheral surface of said ceramic honeycomb structure.

16. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein the gas ejected from said orifice has a dew point of 10° C. or lower.

17. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according claim 1 , wherein said ceramic honeycomb 5 structure is cleaned in a substantially horizontal state.

18. The method for producing a ceramic honeycomb structure according to claim 1 , wherein said sintered ceramic honeycomb structure has a porosity of 50-80%.