Method of producing fuel cell stack

A method of producing a fuel cell stack, comprising:

• a stacking step of stacking a plurality of power generation cells each including a membrane electrode assembly, a pair of separator plates sandwiching the membrane electrode assembly, and a seal member;
• and
• a compressing step of applying a compression load to the plurality of power generation cells stacked in the stacking step,
• wherein the separator plates comprise:
• fluid flow field portions facing the membrane electrode assembly and configured to allow fluids to flow in a surface direction of the separator plates;
• and
• beads surrounding the fluid flow field portions and protruding at portions outside the membrane electrode assembly in a thickness direction of the separator plates,
• the seal member is provided between the beads of the pair of separator plates,
• an elastic limit of the seal member is greater than an elastic limit of the membrane electrode assembly, and
• in the compressing step, the compression load is applied in a manner that the membrane electrode assembly is plastically deformed, without exceeding the elastic limit of the seal member.