A control circuit for use with a network and a distributed control system. The control circuit incudes a switch module, a communication interface module coupled to the switch module and configured to convert data sampled from industrial field into a format suitable for being transmitted to the switch module via the network, and a controller module coupled to the switch module and configured to receive the converted data from the switch module and process the converted data. The switch module is configured to enable a communication between the communication interface module and external devices outside the control circuit and a communication between the controller module and the external devices.

A method of manufacturing a liquid-cooled jacket, includes a preparation step which includes placing a sealing body on a stepped portion to allow a step side surface and a sealing-body side surface of the sealing body to butt each other, and a primary joining step which includes allowing a primary joining rotary tool to move once around the sealing body, while moving the rotary tool along a butted portion formed in the preparation step, to carry out friction stir welding. The primary joining step includes employing the primary joining rotary tool provided with a stirring pin having a length dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the sealing body, and carrying out friction stirring with only the stirring pin being brought into contact with a jacket body and the sealing body.

A friction stir spot welding device which welds an object to be welded, by softening the object by friction heat and by stirring the object, has a tool with a cylindrical shape, the tool being rotatable around an axis thereof, advanceable along a direction of the axis, and retractable along the direction of the axis, a temperature detector which detects a temperature of the tool when a welding step for the object starts, and a controller configured to compare the temperature of the tool which is detected by the temperature detector to a predetermined reference temperature to set a plunging force applied by the tool to press the object.

A joining method includes abutting an end face of a first metal member in a plate shape having a projecting part on the end face on a rear face of a second metal member in a plate shape having a hole that is bored through the second metal member in a plate thickness direction and simultaneously inserting the projecting part into the hole. The method includes inserting a stirring pin of a rotary tool into an abutment portion of a wall of the hole and an outer peripheral surface of the projecting part from a front face side opposite to the rear face of the second metal member. The rotary tool is moved along the abutment portion to join the abutment portion by friction stirring. The abutment portion is joined together with only the stirring pin of the rotary tool being in contact with the first and second metal members.

A method of fabricating a metal pipeline by friction stir welding (FSW) along a circumferential interface includes spinning first and second FSW tools about respective axes of rotation in contact with a pipe wall to heat, plasticize, and stir respective zones of plasticized metal at the interface. The zone of plasticized metal produced by the second FSW tool extends deeper into the pipe wall than the zone of plasticized metal produced by the first FSW tool. Relative circumferential movement of the FSW tools along the interface is controlled such that the second FSW tool following the first FSW tool enters the zone of plasticized metal produced by the first FSW tool while the metal in that zone remains plastic.

A friction stir welding tool with a base, a rotating friction stir slug mounted in the said base and at least one guide member connected to the said base, the welding tool being adapted to move from upstream to downstream; a welding tool having at least one displacement member of the guide member relative to the said base between at least one guiding position in which the guide member extends in a scout area located downstream and facing the friction stir slug and at least one retracted position in which the guide member is offset from the said scout area.

A method of fabrication by friction stir welding (FSW) at an interface between adjoining components such as pipe lengths of a pipeline has layers of different metals on each side. FSW is performed from one side of the adjoining components by effecting relative movement of a first FSW tool along the interface. FSW is performed from an opposite side of the adjoining components by effecting relative movement of a second FSW tool along the interface. Advantageously, FSW is performed simultaneously from both sides of the adjoining components with the FSW tools applying loads in mutual opposition about the adjoining components.

A method for friction welding, the method comprising: locating a first workpiece in a recess or aperture of a first tool; bringing a weld face of the first and a weld face of a second workpiece into frictional engagement; and moving the first tool and the second workpiece relative to one another.

Process for linear transparency friction stir welding of a flange of a stiffener onto at least one panel for an aircraft, wherein a weld bead is made along the flange of the stiffener and wherein the weld bead extends in cross-section from a first lateral edge to an opposite second lateral edge of the stiffener flange. System for the implementation of the above welding process, which includes three welding heads arranged as a triangle, each of which includes a rotating pin as well as a shoulder extending at the base of said rotating pin.

A method of manufacturing a liquid-cooled jacket, includes a preparation step which includes placing a sealing body on a stepped portion to allow a step side surface and a sealing-body side surface of the sealing body to butt each other, and a primary joining step which includes allowing a primary joining rotary tool to move once around the sealing body, while moving the rotary tool along a butted portion formed in the preparation step, to carry out friction stir welding. The primary joining step includes employing the primary joining rotary tool provided with a stirring pin having a length dimension greater than a thickness dimension of the sealing body, and carrying out friction stirring with only the stirring pin being brought into contact with a jacket body and the sealing body.