Process for manufacturing stamp formed mufflers

A process for manufacturing exhaust mufflers, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing a pair of formed plates having at least one array of channels therein such that the channels define an array of tubes when the plates are placed in face-to-face relationship with one another;
• providing at least one external shell formed to define a peripheral flange and at least one chamber extending from said peripheral flange, said peripheral flange of said external shell having a shape for enabling the external shell to be placed generally in register with at least selected peripheral portions of said plates;
• placing said plates and said external shell generally in register with one another;
• urging the peripheral flange of said external shell into direct abutting face-to-face contact with the peripheral portions of said plates;
• and
• securely connecting the peripheral flange of said external shell and the peripheral portions of said plates to one another.

A process for manufacturing at least one muffler of an exhaust system, each said muffler comprising first and second plates having peripheries and having channels formed in said plates, said muffler further comprising first and second external shells, each of said external shells including a peripheral flange dimensioned and configured to be placed in register with the peripheries of said plates, said process comprising the steps of:

• providing an indexable fixturing apparatus having a plurality of plate fixtures and a plurality of shell fixtures disposed in alternating relationship to one another;
• providing a loading position having supplies of said plates and said shells in proximity to said indexable fixturing apparatus;
• fixturing one of said first plates and one of said second plates in opposed face-to-face relationship in one of said plate fixtures in proximity to said loading station such that the channels define an array of tubes;
• indexing said fixturing apparatus such that the fixtured plates advance to an internals assembly position;
• moving said indexed plates from said indexable fixturing apparatus to an attachment apparatus;
• fixedly attaching said plates to one another at a plurality of discrete locations thereon, including locations disposed on opposite sides of the channels therein;
• returning the attached plates to the loading station;
• fixturing the attached plates intermediate one said first external shell and one said second external shell in one of said shell fixtures on the indexable fixturing apparatus;
• indexing the indexable fixturing apparatus to move the fixtured plates and external shells to an externals assembly position;
• removing the fixtured internal plates and external shells from the indexable fixturing apparatus;
• and
• presenting the internal plates and external shells to an attachment apparatus for securely affixing the peripheral flanges of said external shell to the peripheries of the internal plates to define the muffler of the exhaust system.