A method for manufacturing a honeycomb structure, includes: a step of manufacturing a honeycomb formed body to manufacture a non-fired honeycomb formed body, the non-fired honeycomb formed body including a raw material composition containing a ceramic raw material, 0.5 to 5.0 mass % of pore former and water; an induction drying step of drying the manufactured non-fired honeycomb formed body by induction drying to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and a firing step of firing the obtained honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The induction drying step is to remove 20 to 80% of the entire water that the non-fired honeycomb formed body contained before drying by induction drying to obtain a first dried honeycomb formed body, then turn the first dried honeycomb formed body upside down and remove the residual water by further induction drying to obtain the honeycomb dried body.

Methods of firing ceramic-forming honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the honeycomb body by placing a layer selected from the group consisting of a graphite layer, a graphite-containing layer, an activated carbon layer, or an amorphous carbon layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the honeycomb body. The layer oxidizes to form a porous layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the honeycomb body.

Methods of firing ceramic honeycomb bodies are disclosed that include heating the ceramic honeycomb bodies and blocking furnace gases from flowing through the ceramic honeycomb body by placing an aluminum metal layer adjacent an endface of the honeycomb body. Heating removes organic pore-forming material and graphite pore-forming material in the ceramic honeycomb body. The aluminum metal layer oxidizes to form a porous Al2O3 layer after firing to a first temperature, and furnace gases flow through the ceramic honeycomb body.

A method for producing a honeycomb structure including producing an unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body; placing the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body on a receiving table such that the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body stands thereon; conveying the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body placed on the receiving table; drying the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body after the conveying step, or drying the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body during the conveying to obtain a honeycomb dried body; and firing the honeycomb dried body to obtain a honeycomb structure. The receiving table includes at least one protrusion. In the honeycomb formed body conveying step, the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body is conveyed while supporting it by inserting the at least one protrusion of the receiving table into a bottom surface of the unfired pillar shaped honeycomb body placed on the receiving table.

A die setting apparatus for a ceramic core is provided. The die setting apparatus includes a first setter abuttable with a first side of the ceramic core and a second setter abuttable with a second side of the ceramic core opposite the first side. At least one of the first and second setters includes two or more pieces respectively arranged to form one or more gaps. Each of the one or more gaps is oriented to thermally adjust in correspondence with thermal changes of the ceramic core during a firing process thereof.

A carrier (230) for a honeycomb body (220) and a method for manufacturing a honeycomb body(220) are provided. The carrier (230) comprises a first side support (234), a second side support (236), and a flexible sheet (240) suspended between the first (234) and second (236) side supports for supporting the honeycomb body (220). The method comprises placing a green honeycomb body (220) on the flexible sheet (240) and transporting the green honeycomb body (220).

A setter for firing in a plate which is used for firing a honeycomb formed body and interposed between the honeycomb formed body and a shelf plate, wherein the setter for firing has a setter lower surface section facing the shelf plate, the setter lower surface section including: a central region part formed by a region including a lower surface center of the setter lower surface section; and a peripheral region part formed by a peripheral region of the central region part, and the peripheral region part has at least four or more setter groove parts each having a recessed cross sectional shape and extending radially from the lower surface center respectively in a direction from a boundary with the central region part toward a setter outer circumferential section.

A method for finishing a glass or ceramic article includes applying a force to the glass or ceramic article. The force is applied to the glass or ceramic article at least when the glass or ceramic article is at a temperature that is greater than or equal to a creep temperature of the glass or ceramic article. Holding the force to the glass or ceramic article as the glass or ceramic article is cooled to a temperature that is less than the creep temperature of the glass or ceramic article.

An intermediate member is a member which is directly or indirectly sandwiched between a first object and a second object. The intermediate member includes a plate-like supporting member having a lower surface which is one main surface opposed to the first object and a plurality of ceramic blocks fixed on an upper surface which is the other main surface of the supporting member in a state of being separated from one another. Thus, in a state where the plurality of ceramic blocks are collectively held by the supporting member having relatively high shape retention, by disposing the intermediate member between the objects, it is possible to easily arrange the plurality of ceramic blocks between the objects with high positioning accuracy.

A method of manufacturing a furnace setter is disclosed. The method includes placing one or more layers of ceramic tape on a form that has a shape corresponding to a desired shape of the furnace setter. The method further includes applying pressure to the assembly that includes the form and the tape layers. The application of pressure to the assembly compresses the ceramic tape layers together to generate an integrated body having the desired shape of the furnace setter. The method further includes removing the integrated body from the form and applying a heat treatment to the integrated body to generate the furnace setter as a sintered solid body. According to a further embodiment, a furnace setter is disclosed that has a weight to area ratio that is less than 10 g/in.sup.2, less than 5 g/in.sup.2, less than 3 g/in.sup.2, or less than 2 g/in.sup.2.