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DIFF Subclass Not Allocatable
B21G

MAKING NEEDLES, PINS OR NAILS OF METAL

Introduced: September 1968

Description

B21G covers mechanical processes for manufacturing metal needles, pins, and nails through forming, shaping, and assembling operations that do not fundamentally involve material removal. This includes techniques such as wire drawing, heading, pointing, and cold forming of these small elongated fastening or textile components. The class encompasses both the machinery and methods used in high-volume production of common fasteners and precision needles, excluding machining or grinding operations that would be classified elsewhere. Related manufacturing processes involving material removal are covered by other subclasses within B21 (such as turning or milling), while the design of the final products themselves falls under different classifications.

IPC and CPC are identically structured here. All 4 subcodes exist in both systems.

3 shared codes have differing titles between IPC and CPC.

Child Classifications

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Top Applicants

Top Applicants (IPC)

Class B21,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. JFE STEEL 2,318
  2. JFE STEEL JP 2,294
  3. POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 2,083
  4. NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 1,650
  5. NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 1,631
  6. SMS GROUP DE 1,472
  7. BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL COMPANY 1,181
  8. SGCC(STATE GRID CORPORATION OF CHINA) 1,079
  9. ANHUI JIANGHUAI AUTOMOBILE 984
  10. HYUNDAI STEEL COMPANY KR 980

Top Applicants (CPC)

Class B21,2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT

  1. JFE STEEL JP 2,667
  2. NIPPON STEEL CORPORATION JP 2,049
  3. POSCO (POHANG IRON AND STEEL COMPANY) KR 1,967
  4. NSSMC (NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL) JP 1,800
  5. SMS GROUP DE 1,538
  6. JFE STEEL 1,150
  7. ARCELORMITTAL LU 1,142
  8. BAOSHAN IRON & STEEL COMPANY 821
  9. HYUNDAI STEEL COMPANY KR 808
  10. THYSSENKRUPP STEEL EUROPE DE 660