B23D PLANING; SLOTTING; SHEARING; BROACHING; SAWING; FILING; SCRAPING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Subclass:
- PLANING; SLOTTING; SHEARING; BROACHING; SAWING; FILING; SCRAPING; LIKE OPERATIONS FOR WORKING METAL BY REMOVING MATERIAL, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
Description
B23D covers machine tools and metal-working operations that remove material through planing, slotting, shearing, broaching, sawing, filing, scraping, and similar processes not specifically classified elsewhere. This subclass includes the machines, tools, and techniques for these cutting and abrading operations on metal workpieces, encompassing both manual and powered equipment. It serves as a residual classification for metal removal operations that do not fall under more specialized subclasses (such as grinding, drilling, or turning). Adjacent classes like B23B (turning) and B23H (other metal-working processes) handle alternative removal methods with different cutting geometries or principles.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B23D recorded 132,167 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 5,271 in 2013 to 17,326 in 2023 (+229%), peaking at 20,095 applications in 2020. The most active applicants in class B23 are ITW (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS) (3,407 applications), FANUC (3,120 applications) and DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM (2,777 applications).
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
In class comparison
B23D ranks 5th of 9 subclasses with filings in B23, with 132,167 applications between 2013 and 2023, 8.1% of the class. Annual filings grew 229% from 2013 to 2023, above the class as a whole (+174%).
| Rank | Subclass | Title | Applications | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | B23K, Soldering or Unsoldering; Welding; Cladding or Plating by Soldering or Welding; Cutting by Applying Heat Locally, e.g. Flame Cutting; Working by Laser Beam | Soldering or Unsoldering; Welding; Cladding or Plating by Soldering or Welding; Cutting by Applying Heat Locally, e.g. Flame Cutting; Working by Laser Beam | 516,255 | 31.8% |
| 2 | B23Q, Details, Components, or Accessories for Machine Tools, e.g. Arrangements for Copying or Controlling; Machine Tools in General, Characterised by the Construction of Particular Details or Components; Combinations or Associations of Metal-Working Machines, Not Directed to a Particular Result | Details, Components, or Accessories for Machine Tools, e.g. Arrangements for Copying or Controlling; Machine Tools in General, Characterised by the Construction of Particular Details or Components; Combinations or Associations of Metal-Working Machines, Not Directed to a Particular Result | 452,253 | 27.9% |
| 3 | B23P, Metal-Working Not Otherwise Provided for; Combined Operations; Universal Machine Tools | Metal-Working Not Otherwise Provided for; Combined Operations; Universal Machine Tools | 233,653 | 14.4% |
| 4 | B23B, Turning; Boring | Turning; Boring | 180,015 | 11.1% |
| 5 | B23D | Planing; Slotting; Shearing; Broaching; Sawing; Filing; Scraping; Like Operations for Working Metal by Removing Material, Not Otherwise Provided for | 132,167 | 8.1% |
| 6 | B23C, Milling | Milling | 50,049 | 3.1% |
| 7 | B23H, Working of Metal by the Action of a High Concentration of Electric Current on a Workpiece Using an Electrode Which Takes the Place of a Tool; Such Working Combined With Other Forms of Working of Metal | Working of Metal by the Action of a High Concentration of Electric Current on a Workpiece Using an Electrode Which Takes the Place of a Tool; Such Working Combined With Other Forms of Working of Metal | 21,842 | 1.3% |
| 8 | B23G, Thread Cutting; Working of Screws, Bolt Heads or Nuts, in Conjunction Therewith | Thread Cutting; Working of Screws, Bolt Heads or Nuts, in Conjunction Therewith | 18,811 | 1.2% |
| 9 | B23F, Making Gears or Toothed Racks | Making Gears or Toothed Racks | 16,856 | 1.0% |
Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings
Additional Content
Surgical saws Sawing wood or similar material
Related Keywords
42 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
Navigate with arrow keys, Enter to open
- B23D 1/00 Planing or slotting machines cutting by relative movement of the tool and workpiece in a horizontal straight line only
- B23D 11/00 Planing or slotting devices able to be attached to a machine tool, whether or not replacing an operative portion of the machine tool
- B23D 13/00 Tools or tool holders specially designed for planing or slotting machines
- B23D 15/00 Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by blades which move parallel to each other
- B23D 17/00 Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by blades pivoted on a single axis
- B23D 19/00 Shearing machines or shearing devices cutting by rotary discs
- B23D 21/00 Machines or devices for shearing or cutting tubes
- B23D 23/00 Machines or devices for shearing or cutting profiled stock
- B23D 25/00 Machines or arrangements for shearing stock while the latter is travelling otherwise than in the direction of the cut
- B23D 27/00 Machines or devices for cutting by a nibbling action
- B23D 29/00 Hand-held metal-shearing or metal-cutting devices
- B23D 3/00 Planing or slotting machines cutting by relative movement of the tool and workpiece in a vertical or inclined straight line
- B23D 31/00 Shearing machines or shearing devices covered by none or more than one of the groups; Combinations of shearing machines
- B23D 33/00 Accessories for shearing machines or shearing devices
- B23D 35/00 Tools for shearing machines or shearing devices; Holders or chucks for shearing tools
- B23D 36/00 Control arrangements specially adapted for machines for shearing or similar cutting, or for sawing, stock while the latter is travelling otherwise than in the direction of the cut
- B23D 37/00 Broaching machines or broaching devices
- B23D 39/00 Accessories for broaching machines or broaching devices
- B23D 41/00 Broaching machines or broaching devices characterised only by constructional features of particular parts
- B23D 43/00 Broaching tools
Top Applicants
Top 10 applicants by patent filingsfor class B23, 2013–2023, worldwide · Source: EPO PATSTAT
- ITW (ILLINOIS TOOL WORKS) US 3,407
- FANUC JP 3,120
- DISCO ABRASIVE SYSTEM 2,777
- HAN'S LASER TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY GROUP COMPANY 2,629
- ROBERT BOSCH DE 2,468
- FANUC 2,273
- DISCO CORPORATION JP 2,267
- GE (GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY) US 1,611
- CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 1,534
- ISCAR IL 1,499