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
Introduced: September 1968
Classification Context
- Section:
- PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- Class:
- MACHINE TOOLS; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Subclass:
- SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; WELDING; CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM
Description
B23K covers processes and equipment for joining, modifying, and cutting materials through thermal and energy-based methods, including soldering, unsoldering, welding, cladding, and plating operations. The subclass encompasses both localized heat-cutting techniques (such as flame, plasma, or oxy-fuel cutting) and laser-beam processing for material removal or modification. Specific technologies include manual and automated welding systems, brazing operations, thermal spraying for surface treatment, and precision cutting applications across metal and related materials. This classification excludes general metal-working operations covered elsewhere and focuses specifically on processes that use heat or concentrated energy sources as the primary working mechanism.
Filing statistics
IPC subclass B23K recorded 516,255 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings grew from 24,268 in 2013 to 67,503 in 2023 (+178%). 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
B23K ranks 1st of 9 subclasses with filings in B23, with 516,255 applications between 2013 and 2023, 31.8% of the class. Annual filings grew 178% 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 | 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 | 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
Related Keywords
21 direct subcodes
Child Classifications
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- B23K 1/00 Soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering
- B23K 10/00 Welding or cutting by means of a plasma
- B23K 101/00 Articles made by soldering, welding or cutting
- B23K 103/00 Materials to be soldered, welded or cut
- B23K 11/00 Resistance welding; Severing by resistance heating
- B23K 13/00 Welding by high-frequency current heating
- B23K 15/00 Electron-beam welding or cutting
- B23K 17/00 Use of the energy of nuclear particles in welding or related techniques
- B23K 20/00 Non-electric welding by applying impact or other pressure, with or without the application of heat, e.g. cladding or plating
- B23K 23/00 Alumino-thermic welding
- B23K 25/00 Slag welding, i.e. using a heated layer or mass of powder, slag or the like in contact with the material to be joined
- B23K 26/00 Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring
- B23K 28/00 Welding or cutting not covered by groups
- B23K 3/00 Tools, devices or special appurtenances for soldering, e.g. brazing, or unsoldering, not specially adapted for particular methods
- B23K 31/00 Processes relevant to this subclass, specially adapted for particular articles or purposes, but not covered by any single one of main groups
- B23K 33/00 Specially-profiled edge portions of workpieces for making soldering or welding connections; Filling the seams formed thereby
- B23K 35/00 Rods, electrodes, materials, or media, for use in soldering, welding, or cutting
- B23K 37/00 Auxiliary devices or processes, not specially adapted for a procedure covered by only one of the other main groups of this subclass
- B23K 5/00 Gas flame welding
- B23K 7/00 Cutting, scarfing, or desurfacing by applying flames
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