Abstract: Excessive increase in processing loads and damages to a thickening roller resulting from pressing the thickening roller against the blank from the outer peripheral end face are prevented, and processing of a cylindrical member having an enlarged diameter portion is made possible. With the side surface of an intermediate portion of a blank abutting and being supported on an increased diameter portion of a mandrel, a thickening roller is pressed against the side surface of the intermediate portion and moved in the radially inward direction. The blank is thus partially thickened, and the thickened portion is pressed into tooth spaces formed in a columnar portion of the mandrel, whereby splines are formed.

Abstract: In a relay apparatus, when an error of the next relay destination is detected at the time of reception of a connection establishment request, the connection establishment request is refused by a connection negative response unit and a negative response relay unit, and a negative response is transmitted to a relay source. When the negative response is received from the relay destination, a connection establishment requesting unit of an end system of a communicating source again issues a connection establishment request in which another relay destination has been selected without notifying an application of a failure of the connection establishment, and establishes a connection to a communicating destination end system by another path.