Manufacturing method of plugged honeycomb structure

A manufacturing method of a plugged honeycomb structure in which plugging portions are formed at opening end portions of predetermined cells on one side of a cylindrical honeycomb structure including a plurality of cells separated from one another by porous partition walls, constituting channels of a fluid and formed in a honeycomb-like shape, the method comprising:

• forming plugging members into a predetermined shape on a holding portion of a stationary mold, the plugging members being arranged on the holding portion in a predetermined plugging pattern;
• and
• pressing the stationary mold onto an end surface of the honeycomb structure after the plugging members have been formed into the predetermined shapes on the holding portion of the stationary mold in order to press-fit the plugging members into the end portions of the predetermined cell passages to be plugged, thereby forming the plugging portions,
• wherein the plugging members which are formed into the predetermined shape and which are to be press-fit into the cell passages to be plugged include a plastic material having viscosity and fluidity.