Manufacturing method and manufacturing apparatus for fuel cell unit

A manufacturing method for a fuel cell unit obtained by joining a resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly to a separator,

• the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly including a membrane electrode assembly and a resin frame member attached to an outer peripheral portion of the membrane electrode assembly,
• the membrane electrode assembly including an electrolyte membrane and electrodes disposed on both sides of the electrolyte membrane,
• the manufacturing method comprising a stacking step and a laser irradiation step,
• wherein:
• in the stacking step, a stacked portion including, stacked together, the resin frame member of the resin frame equipped membrane electrode assembly and an outer peripheral portion of the separator is placed on a metal spacer, and the resin frame member at a joining target portion of the stacked portion is placed so as to face a recess formed in the metal spacer;
• and
• in the laser irradiation step, a welded portion where the resin frame member and the separator are welded to each other is formed by irradiating the separator at the joining target portion with a laser beam in a state where the resin frame member faces the recess.