ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY

Description

B33 covers processes and machines for manufacturing objects by successive addition of material layers, including 3D printing, rapid prototyping, and related technologies. This class encompasses various additive manufacturing methods such as stereolithography, selective laser sintering, fused deposition modeling, and inkjet-based printing systems, along with the apparatus, materials handling, and post-processing techniques employed in these processes. It addresses both the equipment design and operational methods for building three-dimensional structures from digital models, as well as specialized materials and processing parameters specific to additive manufacturing applications.

Filing statistics

CPC B33 recorded 150,610 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023, summed across its 1 subclasses. Annual filings grew from 2,518 in 2013 to 13,707 in 2023 (+444%), peaking at 19,243 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B33 are HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY (4,417 applications), GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) (2,451 applications) and SIEMENS (1,136 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings