Separator manufacturing method and multi-stage press

Abstract

To provide a separator manufacturing method and a multi-stage press that can efficiently apply a preload with a small installation area.SOLUTION: A method for manufacturing a separator used in a fuel cell includes an arrangement step of arranging a pressed / joined body X formed by a sealing member, a first metal separator, and a second metal separator in a multistage press machine 60, and a preload applying step of plastically deforming the pressed / joined body X using the multi-stage press machine 60, and in the arranging step, the press / joined body X is arranged in a plurality of arranging spaces 70 formed in the height direction of the multistage press machine 60, and in the preload applying step, the load is applied in the height direction of the multistage press machine 60, and preload is applied to the multiple press / joined body X at the same time.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a separator used in a fuel cell and a multi-stage press. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, as shown in Patent Document 1, a fuel cell is known in which an electrolyte membrane is sandwiched between a pair of bonded separators (hereinafter simply referred to as "separators") to ensure sealing performance. The separator is formed by bonding a first metal separator and a second metal separator, each of which has a convex sealing bead portion. A sealing member made of rubber or the like is disposed at the tip of the sealing bead portion. The sealing bead portions of the separators face each other to form a bead seal portion. The reaction force of the sealing bead portion and the conformability of the sealing member can improve sealing performance.

[0003] For example, the bead seal portion disclosed in Patent Document 1 is subject to a large influence of plastic deformation due to an external load, so a preload is applied to the bead seal portion in advance. In the preload application process, a pressure device is used to compress the separator, thereby applying a preload. By applying a preload, when used in a fuel cell stack, even if an external load fluctuation occurs, the load remains within the elastic range, allowing the bead seal portion to have load characteristics similar to those of a seal member.

[0004] FIG. 14 is a graph showing the relationship between cell thickness and sealing pressure for the fuel cell of Patent Document 1. Load characteristic line L4 (thick dotted line) shows the load characteristic of the separator obtained by applying a preload to the bead seal portion. As can be seen from load characteristic line L4, even if a load fluctuation occurs in the fuel cell stack, there is no plastic deformation, and the fuel cell stack moves along the same load characteristic line L4 whether the load is applied or removed. Furthermore, if a preload is not applied, the sealing bead portion will undergo plastic deformation during operation, making it impossible to maintain the sealing surface pressure. Applying a preload also makes it possible to reduce variations in the load characteristic lines La, Lb, and Lc due to dimensional variations caused by pressing. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6368807 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] However, when mass-producing a large number of separators, the number of machines and the installation area of ​​the machines required to apply a preload to the separators become enormous. Furthermore, because the load characteristics of the separator vary depending on the upper and lower limits of the separator's thickness and material properties, such as the upper and lower limits of its hardness, it may not be possible to obtain the intended load characteristics with a uniform height (the gap in the height direction when pressing). Furthermore, applying a preload to multiple separators with different material properties requires additional setup and other man-hours, which may reduce production efficiency.

[0007] The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a separator manufacturing method and a multi-stage press that can efficiently apply a preload with a small installation area. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present invention, which aims to solve the above-mentioned problems, provides a method for manufacturing a separator used in a fuel cell, the method comprising: a placement step of placing a press-assembled body formed of a seal member, a first metal separator, and a second metal separator in a multi-stage press; and a preload application step of plastically deforming the press-assembled body using the multi-stage press, wherein in the placement step, the press-assembled body is placed in a plurality of placement spaces formed in a height direction of the multi-stage press; The multi-stage press machine includes a plurality of partition plates stacked in a height direction, a plurality of thickness adjustment shims interposed between the partition plates adjacent in the height direction, a plurality of biasing members interposed between the partition plates adjacent in the height direction and biasing the partition plates, and a slide guide that supports the plurality of partition plates movably in the height direction, and the space between the partition plates adjacent in the height direction is the arrangement space, The preload applying step is characterized in that a load is applied in the height direction of the multistage press, and preloads are applied simultaneously to the plurality of press-joined bodies.

[0009] The present invention also provides a multi-stage press machine that applies a preliminary load to a press-joint formed by a sealing member, a first metal separator, and a second metal separator, and is characterized in that it comprises a plurality of partition plates stacked in the vertical direction, a plurality of thickness adjustment shims interposed between adjacent partition plates in the vertical direction, a plurality of biasing members interposed between adjacent partition plates in the vertical direction and biasing the partition plates, and a slide guide that supports the plurality of partition plates so that they can move in the vertical direction, and in that by pressing the partition plates, a preliminary load is applied to the press-joint arranged in the arrangement space between the partition plates.

[0010] According to the present invention, a load can be applied in the height direction of a multi-stage press machine, and a preload can be applied simultaneously to multiple press-joined bodies, thereby enabling preloads to be applied efficiently in a small installation area. Furthermore, according to the present invention, a multi-stage press can be easily constructed.

[0013] It is also preferable that the thickness adjusting shims have the same thickness dimension.

[0014] According to the present invention, for example, a preload can be applied to a plurality of press-bonded bodies having the same material properties, thereby producing a plurality of separators having the same load properties.

[0015] Preferably, the thickness adjusting shims have different thickness dimensions.

[0016] According to the present invention, for example, a preload can be applied to a plurality of press-bonded bodies having different material properties, thereby producing a plurality of separators having the same load characteristics.

[0017] It is preferable that the method includes, before carrying out the pre-load application process, a reading process of reading a material identification section in which at least one material characteristic of the sealing member, the first metal separator, and the second metal separator is recorded, and an arrangement space selection process of selecting one arrangement space from the plurality of arrangement spaces based on the material characteristic read in the reading process.

[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to select an arrangement space suitable for the material properties of the press-bonded body from among a plurality of arrangement spaces, thereby making it possible to manufacture a separator with the desired load characteristics even if the material properties of the press-bonded body are different. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] According to the separator manufacturing method and multi-stage press of the present invention, a preload can be applied efficiently with a small installation area. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a separator according to Example 1. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a fuel cell according to a first embodiment. [Figure 3] 1 is a side view showing a multi-stage press machine according to a first embodiment. [Figure 4] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a press molding step in the method for producing the separator according to Example 1. FIG. [Figure 5] 3 is a cross-sectional view showing a joining step in the method for producing the separator according to Example 1. FIG. [Figure 6] 1 is a side view showing an arrangement step in the manufacturing method of the separator according to Example 1. FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 3 is a side view showing a preload applying step in the method for producing the separator according to the first embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a multi-stage press machine according to a second embodiment. [Figure 9]10 is a cross-sectional view showing a press molding step and an identification information providing step in the method for producing a separator according to Example 2. FIG. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a joining step in the method for producing a separator according to Example 2. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a reading step in the method for producing a separator according to Example 2. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a side view showing the arrangement step of the separator manufacturing method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 10 is a side view showing a preload applying step in the separator manufacturing method according to the second embodiment. [Figure 14] 1 is a graph showing the relationship between the cell thickness and sealing pressure of the separator according to Patent Document 1. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] A separator manufacturing method and a multi-stage press according to an embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. As shown in Fig. 1, the first separator 3 (second separator 4) is a plate-shaped member used in a fuel cell, and is composed of a first metal separator 21, a second metal separator 22, and a plurality of sealing members 51. A preload is applied to the first separator 3 (second separator 4) before it is assembled into a fuel cell stack.

[0022] In the preload application step of the separator manufacturing method according to this embodiment, a load is applied in the height direction of a plurality of pressed-assembled bodies X arranged in a multistage press 60 shown in Fig. 7, and a preload is simultaneously applied to the plurality of pressed-assembled bodies X. Examples will be described in detail below.

[0023] [Example 1] A fuel cell stack is formed by stacking a plurality of fuel cell units 1 and applying a predetermined compressive load in the stacking direction of the fuel cell units 1. Figure 2 shows the fuel cell units 1 in a fastened state with a predetermined compressive load applied.

[0024] The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) 2 includes an electrolyte membrane 11, electrode catalyst layers 12, 12, and gas diffusion layers 13, 13. The electrolyte membrane 11 protrudes outward beyond the gas diffusion layer 13. Note that the portion protruding outward beyond the gas diffusion layer 13 may be a resin film (resin frame member).

[0025] The first separator 3 is a plate-like member arranged on one side (the lower side in FIG. 2) of the membrane electrode assembly 2. The second separator 4 is a plate-like member arranged on the other side (the upper side in FIG. 2) of the membrane electrode assembly 2. Since the first separator 3 and the second separator 4 have the same configuration in this embodiment, the second separator 4 is denoted by the same reference numeral as the first separator 3 and a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0026] The bead seal portion 41 protrudes toward the electrolyte membrane 11 (or resin film) and is formed, for example, endlessly around the entire outer periphery of the fuel cell 1. A seal member 51 is disposed at the tip of the bead seal portion 41 along the extension direction of the bead seal portion 41.

[0027] The sealing member 51 is made of an elastic material. The sealing member 51 of this embodiment is a gasket with a rectangular cross section. The sealing member 51 may be formed, for example, by applying a liquid material to the bead seal portion 41, or by attaching a strip-shaped material to the bead seal portion 41. The sealing member 51 may be made of an elastic material, and examples of materials that can be used include ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM), silicone rubber (VMQ), fluororubber (FKM), polyisobutylene (PIB), SIFEL (registered trademark: Shin-Etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.), resin, etc., each having a rubber hardness Hs of 45 to 55.

[0028] A preload is applied to the bead seal portions 41 of the first separator 3 and the second separator 4. The preload will be described later.

[0029] 3, the multi-stage press 60 includes a partition plate 61, a thickness adjusting shim 62, a biasing member 63, and a slide guide 64. The multi-stage press 60 is a tool that can arrange a plurality of pressed joined bodies X in the height direction and simultaneously apply a load (preload) to the plurality of pressed joined bodies X.

[0030] The partition plates 61 are plate-like members with a rectangular cross section. The number of partition plates 61 may be three or more, but six are used in this embodiment. The space between adjacent partition plates 61 in the height direction forms an arrangement space 70 in which the press-joined body X is arranged.

[0031] The thickness adjustment shims 62 are spacers interposed between the partition plates 61, 61 adjacent to each other in the height direction. The thickness adjustment shims 62 are respectively arranged in each arrangement space 70. At least one thickness adjustment shim 62 is required for each arrangement space 70, but in this embodiment, two are provided for each arrangement space 70. The height dimension of the thickness adjustment shims 62 is smaller than the height dimension of the arrangement space 70 when no load is applied. The height dimension of the thickness adjustment shims 62 is set appropriately depending on the load (preload) to be applied to the press-joined body X. In this embodiment, the height dimension (thickness dimension) of each thickness adjustment shim 62 is the same.

[0032] The biasing member 63 is interposed between the partition plates 61, 61 adjacent to each other in the height direction. The biasing member 63 is a member that biases the partition plates 61, 61 in a direction separating them from each other. In this embodiment, a coil spring is used as the biasing member 63, but various types of cylinders may also be used. The length (free length) of the biasing member 63 is greater than the height dimension of the thickness adjustment shim 62. Multiple biasing members 63 are provided in each arrangement space 70.

[0033] The biasing force (e.g., spring constant) of each biasing member 63 may be the same for all, or may vary in the height direction. For example, if there are a large number of partition plates 61, the load (dead load) of the lower-stage jig will be greater than that of the upper-stage jig. Therefore, if biasing members 63 with the same biasing force are used, there is a risk of variations in the load (preload) when a pressing force is applied between the lower and upper stages. In such a case, for example, by increasing the biasing force of the biasing members 63 toward the lower stage, it is possible to balance the load (preload) applied to the press-joined bodies X arranged in the height direction.

[0034] The slide guide 64 is a member that penetrates the end of the partition plate 61 and supports the partition plate 61 so that it can move in the height direction. The slide guide 64 is rod-shaped and is fixed vertically to the end of the lowest partition plate 61. The slide guide 64 is also inserted into through holes formed in the end of each of the other partition plates 61.

[0035] 3, when no pressing force is applied to the multi-stage press 60, the upper surface of the thickness adjusting shim 62 and the lower surface of the opposing partition plate 61 are separated by a predetermined gap by the biasing force of the biasing member 63. The height dimension of each arrangement space 70 (the distance between the partition plates 61, 61) is the same.

[0036] Next, a method for manufacturing the separator of this embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing the separator of this embodiment includes a press molding step, a joining step, a positioning step, and a preload application step.

[0037] 4, the press-molding process is a process in which a material is press-molded to form first metal separator 21 and second metal separator 22. First metal separator 21 and second metal separator 22 are, for example, thin metal plates with a thickness of about 0.03 to 0.5 mm and a hardness of Hv300 or less.

[0038] In this embodiment, the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 are made of materials having the same material properties. The molded first metal separator 21 and second metal separator 22 each have one or more sealing bead portions 31 and one or more protrusions 32. Note that the number, bead height, and arrangement of the sealing bead portions 31 and protrusions 32 are merely examples and may be set as appropriate.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 5, the joining process is a process of joining the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 and installing a sealing member 51. In the joining process, the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 are joined at the surfaces opposite to the surface from which the sealing bead portion 31 protrudes. The first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 are integrated by brazing, crimping, welding, or the like. Furthermore, sealing members 51, 51 are installed at the tip ends of the sealing bead portions 31, 31.

[0040] After the joining process, the sealing bead portions 31, 31 and the sealing members 51, 51 form a bead seal portion 41, and a hollow portion is formed inside the bead seal portion 41. Furthermore, the protrusions 32, 32 form a joining protrusion 42, and a hollow portion is formed inside the joining protrusion 42. The structure formed in the joining process and composed of the first metal separator 21, the second metal separator 22, and the multiple sealing members 51 is also referred to as a "press-joined body X."

[0041] 6, the placement process is a process of placing pressed-joined bodies X in placement spaces 70 of a multi-stage press 60. For example, a plurality of pressed-joined bodies X are placed in each placement space 70 using a transport device including an arm robot, a belt conveyor, or the like.

[0042] As shown in FIG. 7 , the preload application process is a process in which a pressing force is applied to a multi-stage press 60 to apply a preload to a plurality of pressed-joined bodies X. In the preload application process, a pressing unit P is lowered from above the uppermost partition plate 61 to apply pressure. The pressing unit P is lowered until the lower surface of each partition plate 61 abuts against the upper surface of each thickness adjusting shim 62. This compresses each pressed-joined body X, and a preload is applied to each pressed-joined body X. When the pressing unit P is raised, the partition plate 61 is pushed upward by the biasing force of the biasing member 63, allowing the pressed-joined body X to be removed from the arrangement space 70. Through the above process, the first separator 3 (second separator 4) is formed.

[0043] According to the present embodiment described above, a load is applied in the height direction of the multi-stage press 60, and a preload can be simultaneously applied to the plurality of pressed joined bodies X stacked in the height direction, so that preloads can be applied efficiently with a small installation area. In other words, by making the press multi-stage, the height direction can be utilized, resulting in a small footprint and high efficiency.

[0044] The multi-stage press 60 of this embodiment includes a plurality of partition plates 61 stacked in the height direction, a plurality of thickness adjusting shims 62 interposed between the partition plates 61, 61 adjacent in the height direction, a plurality of biasing members 63 interposed between the partition plates 61, 61 adjacent in the height direction and biasing the partition plates 61, and slide guides 64 supporting the plurality of partition plates 61 so that they can move in the height direction, and the space between the partition plates 61 adjacent in the height direction forms an arrangement space in which the press joined body X is arranged. This makes it possible to easily configure the multi-stage press 60.

[0045] In this embodiment, the height dimensions of the thickness adjusting shims 62 are all the same. This allows the same preload to be applied to a plurality of press-assembled bodies X, making it possible to manufacture separators with the same load characteristics. Furthermore, by changing the height dimension of the thickness adjusting shims 62, the applied preload can also be changed, making it possible to manufacture separators with desired load characteristics. Changing the height dimension of the thickness adjusting shims 62 will be described in detail in Example 2.

[0046] The multiple pressed-joined bodies X placed in the multi-stage press 60 may all have the same material properties, or may have different material properties. Since the height dimensions of the thickness adjusting shims 62 of the multi-stage press 60 in Example 1 are all the same, placing pressed-joined bodies X with different material properties can produce separators with different load characteristics.

[0047] [Example 2] In the first embodiment, the thickness adjusting shims 62 in the multi-stage press 60 have the same height dimension, but the thickness adjusting shims 62 in the multi-stage press 60 may be set to have different height dimensions. In the second embodiment, differences from the first embodiment will be mainly described.

[0048] A pressurizing device is used in the separator manufacturing method of Example 2. The pressurizing device includes a multi-stage press 60A shown in Fig. 8, a control device (not shown), a conveying device (not shown), and a pressing unit P (see Fig. 13). The pressurizing device conveys and places the pressed-joined body X in an arrangement space 70 corresponding to the material properties, and applies a preload.

[0049] Thickness adjusting shims 62 are installed in the placement spaces 70 of the multi-stage press 60A. The height of each thickness adjusting shim 62 (62A, 62B, 62C, 62D, 62E) gradually decreases from bottom to top. In other words, the height of the thickness adjusting shims 62 is 62E > 62D > 62C > 62B > 62A. As a result, when a pressing force is applied to the multi-stage press 60A, the height of each placement space 70 (70A, 70B, 70C, 70D, 70E) corresponding to each thickness adjusting shim 62 also gradually decreases from bottom to top.

[0050] The control device (not shown) is a device that controls the entire pressurizing device. The control device is configured to include a control unit, an input unit, a display unit, a memory unit, etc. The control unit is equipped with an "arrangement space selection unit" that selects which arrangement space 70 has which thickness adjustment shim 62 the pressed joint body X corresponds to, based on detection data transmitted from a reading unit 80 (described later).

[0051] The storage unit is composed of storage media such as RAM (Random Access Memory), ROM (Read Only Memory), HDD (Hard Disk Drive), and flash memory. The selection results selected by the placement space selection unit are stored in the storage unit in association with the press / joined body X. The storage unit also stores a placement space selection data file, etc., which serves as a basis for selecting placement space 70.

[0052] The placement space selection data file is a file that specifies, for example, which placement space 70 the detection data transmitted from the reading unit 80 corresponds to. The compression recovery characteristics differ depending on the thickness and hardness of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22, and the hardness (rubber hardness) of the sealing member 51. Therefore, the placement space selection data file stores the relationship between these thicknesses and / or hardnesses and the appropriate amount of compression (height of the placement space 70) when applying a preload. The placement space selection data file is generated as appropriate based on the thicknesses, hardnesses, and compression recovery characteristics of multiple materials that are acquired in advance.

[0053] The placement space selection data file can be defined, for example, by dividing hardness (here, for example, the hardness of first metal separator 21 and second metal separator 22) into five categories by setting a threshold value. The category with the lowest hardness can be designated as category 1, followed by category 2, category 3, category 4, and the category with the highest hardness can be designated as category 5. For example, if the detected hardness falls into category 1 (softest category), a large load (preload) needs to be applied, so placement space 70A is selected. If the detected hardness falls into category 2, category 3, or category 4, placement space 70B, placement space 70C, and placement space 70D are selected, respectively. If the detected hardness falls into category 5 (hardest category), a small load (preload) can be applied, so placement space 70E is selected.

[0054] The placement space selection data file may be set so that when a load is applied to a plurality of press-joined bodies X having different material properties by the multi-stage press 60A, separators having the same load characteristics are obtained, or separators having different load characteristics are obtained.

[0055] Furthermore, the placement space selection data file may be created based only on the hardness of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22, as described above, or may be created based on either the thickness of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 or the hardness and thickness of the sealing member 51. Alternatively, the placement space selection data file may be created based on a combination of two or more selected from the hardness and thickness of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 and the hardness and thickness of the sealing member 51. The placement space selection data file may be set appropriately depending on the type of material used for the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22 and the required performance of the separator.

[0056] The transport unit is a device that transports the pressed-joined body X corresponding to the selection result to one placement space 70 selected by the placement space selection unit of the control unit, and places it in the placement space 70. The transport unit can be configured to include, for example, a transport robot, a belt conveyor, etc.

[0057] As shown in Fig. 13, the pressing unit P is a punch for pressing, and is installed above the uppermost partition plate 61. The pressing unit P descends based on a pressing signal from the control unit, and presses the partition plates 61 until all of the partition plates 61 come into contact with the thickness adjusting shims 62. After applying a load (preload) to each pressed-joined body X by pressing for a predetermined time, the pressing unit P ascends based on a rising signal from the pressing unit P.

[0058] Next, a method for manufacturing the separator of this embodiment will be described. The method for manufacturing the separator of this embodiment includes a press molding process, an identification information providing process, a joining process, a reading process, a placement space selecting process, a placement process, and a preload applying process. The press molding process is the same as in Example 1, so a description thereof will be omitted.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 9, the identification information providing step is a step of providing these material characteristics to the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22. In the identification information providing step, a material identification section 20a is provided on a portion of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator 22. The material identification section 20a may be, for example, a matrix-type two-dimensional code (QR Code (registered trademark: DENSO WAVE INCORPORATED)), a one-dimensional code (barcode), or an RFID (radio frequency identifier). The material identification section 20a includes at least one material characteristic of the sealing member 51, the first metal separator 21, and the second metal separator 22. The material characteristic may be, for example, the rubber hardness of the sealing member 51, or the thickness and hardness (Vickers hardness, Brinell hardness, etc.) of the first metal separator 21 and the second metal separator. The material identification section 20a may also include identification information from the manufacturing stage, such as a serial number or lot number. The identification information providing step may be performed at any timing before the reading step.

[0060] 10, the bonding step is a step of bonding first metal separator 21 and second metal separator 22 together and installing seal member 51. The bonding step is the same as in Example 1, and therefore a description thereof will be omitted.

[0061] The reading process is a process for acquiring the material characteristics of the pressed-joined body X, as shown in Fig. 11. In the reading process, the material identification unit 20a is read using a reading unit 80. The detection data read by the reading unit 80 is associated with identification information such as the manufacturing number and lot number of the pressed-joined body X (the material that constitutes the pressed-joined body X), and is transmitted to a control unit (not shown) of the pressing device.

[0062] 12, the placement space selection process is a process of selecting one placement space 70 from among a plurality of placement spaces 70 based on the material properties read by the reading unit 80. In the placement space selection process, the placement space selection unit of the control unit selects a placement space 70 that is suitable for the detection data transmitted from the reading unit 80 based on the placement space selection file.

[0063] As shown in FIG. 12, the placement process is a process of placing a pressed-joined body X in one placement space 70 selected in the placement space selection process. FIG. 12 illustrates a state in which pressed-joined body XA is placed in placement space 70A, and pressed-joined body XE is placed in placement space 70E. The transport unit transports the pressed-joined body X to the selected one placement space 70 based on a transport signal sent from the control unit. As shown in FIG. 13, corresponding pressed-joined bodies XB, XC, and XD are also placed in placement spaces 70B, 70C, and 70D, respectively.

[0064] The preload application process is a process of compressing the press-assembled body X to apply a preload, as shown in FIG. 13. In the preload application process, the pressing unit P is lowered based on a preload application signal sent from the control unit, and all the partition plates 61 are brought into contact with the thickness adjusting shims 62. This causes each press-assembled body X to be compressed, and a load (preload) is applied. Through the above process, the first separator 3 (second separator 4) is formed.

[0065] The present embodiment described above can also achieve effects substantially equivalent to those of the first embodiment. Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the thickness dimensions of the multiple thickness-adjusting shims 62 are different, the amount of compression when a preload is applied can be changed based on the material characteristics of at least one of the seal member 51, the first metal separator 21, and the second metal separator 22. This makes it possible to obtain a first separator 3 (second separator 4) with desired load characteristics. In other words, for example, according to this embodiment, a preload can be applied to multiple press-assembled bodies X with different material characteristics, thereby obtaining multiple first separators 3 (second separators 4) with the same load characteristics.

[0066] Furthermore, by including a reading step of reading the material identification portion 20a and an arrangement space selection step of selecting one arrangement space 70, it is possible to select an arrangement space 70 suitable for the material characteristics of the press-assembled body X from among the plurality of arrangement spaces 70. This makes it possible to manufacture a separator with desired load characteristics even if the material characteristics of the press-assembled body X are different.

[0067] Furthermore, by including a reading process for reading the material identification portion 20a before performing the preliminary load application process, it is possible to easily obtain the material characteristics of at least one of the sealing member 51, the first metal separator 21, and the second metal separator 22.

[0068] Furthermore, in the placement space selection process, based on the detection data transmitted from the reading unit 80 and a pre-set placement space selection data file, placement spaces 70 suitable for the material properties of the material can be easily selected from placement spaces 70 with different gap height dimensions.

[0069] Furthermore, the pressing force of the pressing portion P may be constant as long as it presses until all the partition plates 61 come into contact with the thickness adjusting shims 62. This simplifies the control of the pressing force.

[0070] While the above describes an embodiment of the present invention, appropriate design modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention. For example, the reading process may be performed at any time before the preload application process. Furthermore, the material properties of the materials (sealing member 51, first metal separator 21, second metal separator 22) may include other factors in addition to thickness and hardness. [Explanation of symbols]

[0071] 1 Fuel cell 2 Electrolyte membrane / electrode structure 3 First separator (separator) 4 Second separator (separator) 11 Electrolyte membrane (film) 20a Material Identification Section 21 First metal separator 22 Second metal separator 31 Sealing bead 41 Bead seal part 51 Sealing material 60 Multi-stage press machine 61 Partition 62 Thickness adjustment shim 63 biasing member 64 Slide Guide 80 Reading unit X Press Joint

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a separator used in a fuel cell, comprising: an arrangement step of arranging a pressed and joined body formed of the sealing member, the first metal separator, and the second metal separator in a multi-stage press; a preload application step of plastically deforming the pressed and joined body using the multi-stage press, In the arranging step, the pressed and joined bodies are arranged in a plurality of arrangement spaces formed in a height direction of the multi-stage press machine, The multi-stage press machine is A plurality of partition plates stacked in the height direction; a plurality of thickness adjusting shims interposed between the partition plates adjacent to each other in the height direction; a plurality of biasing members interposed between the partition plates adjacent to each other in the height direction and biasing the partition plates; a slide guide that supports the plurality of partition plates so as to be movable in a height direction, and the arrangement space is formed between the partition plates that are adjacent to each other in the height direction, A method for manufacturing a separator, characterized in that in the preload application step, a load is applied in the height direction of the multistage press, and preloads are applied simultaneously to multiple pressed and joined bodies.

2. 2. The method for manufacturing a separator according to claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusting shims have the same thickness dimension.

3. 2. The method for manufacturing a separator according to claim 1, wherein the thickness adjusting shims have different thickness dimensions.

4. a reading step of reading a material identification section in which material characteristics of at least one of the sealing member, the first metal separator, and the second metal separator are recorded before the preload applying step is performed; 4. The method for manufacturing a separator according to claim 1, further comprising: a placement space selection step of selecting one placement space from the plurality of placement spaces based on the material properties read in the reading step.

5. A multi-stage press that applies a preload to a press-joined assembly formed of a seal member, a first metal separator, and a second metal separator, A plurality of partition plates stacked in the height direction; a plurality of thickness adjusting shims interposed between the partition plates adjacent to each other in the height direction; a plurality of biasing members interposed between the partition plates adjacent to each other in the height direction and biasing the partition plates; a slide guide that supports the plurality of partition plates so that they can move in a height direction; A multi-stage press machine characterized in that, by pressing the partition plates, a preload is applied to the press-joined body arranged in the arrangement space between the partition plates.

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