Welding of metallic materials is classified in subclass B23K.

Welding of non-metallic materials, provided the methods applied are similar to those used in metal welding and not provided for elsewhere, is classified in subclass B23K.

Welding of preformed plastic parts is classified in group B29C 65/02.

Upon classifying in groups B23K 31/00, B23K 33/00, B23K 35/00 or B23K 37/00, the appropriate classification in B23K 1/00 - B23K 26/00 or subgroups should be added, if applicable.

Arc soldering or brazing is classified in groups B23K 9/16 and B23K 1/00.

Arc brazing apparatuses are classified in group B23K 3/0384.

MIG soldering or brazing is classified in groups B23K 9/173 and B23K 1/00.

TIG soldering or brazing is classified in groups B23K 9/167 and B23K 1/00.

Welding, where a flame is applied to the base metal and held until a small puddle of molten metal is formed with or without addition of more metal from a welding rod or filler rod into the molten metal puddle.

Cutting where the flame is not intended to melt the metal, but to bring it to its ignition temperature.

Electric resistance welding, where heat to form the weld is generated by the electrical resistance (Joule effect) of material vs the time and the force used to hold the materials together during welding.

Spot and seam welding.

Welding or micromachining using an ion beam.

Electroslag welding [ESW], which is a single pass welding process for thick materials in a vertical or close to vertical position, wherein an electric arc is initially struck by a wire that is fed into the desired weld location, flux is added until the molten slag, reaching the tip of the electrode, extinguishes the arc upon which the wire is then continually fed through a consumable guide tube into the surfaces of the metal workpieces and the filler metal are then melted using the electrical resistance of the molten slag to cause coalescence.

Laser scribing for making a weakened layer, even without notching.

Laser shock processing.

Apparatuses for laser surface treatment.

Laser ablation.

In this group, the involved material should be identified by allocating the appropriate indexing codes as foreseen in B23K 2103/00 and subgroups.

Features of workpiece holding or support member B23K 26/702 + B23K 26/08 or subgroup.

If the workpiece is immobile at the moment of being laser processed B23K 26/10.

Robots B23K 26/0884.

Configurations for evacuating by-products between pieces.

Marking by way of material removal.

Feeding welding wire.

Elements for intercepting radiations at the end of boring a hole, even if not applied to the surface.

Localised welding with special shaped welded area, e.g. button shaped.

Bonding of metallic materials by using laser beam is classified in group B23K 26/20.

Bonding of non-metallic materials by using laser beam, provided the methods applied are similar to those used in metal laser bonding and not provided for elsewhere, is classified in group B23K 26/20.

Joining of preformed plastic parts by heating using laser beam is classified in group B29C 65/16.

In this group, the involved material should be identified by allocating the appropriate indexing codes as foreseen in B23K 2103/00 and subgroups.

Laser cladding.

Glazing.

Nanostructuring, e.g. colouring metal.

Melting.

Removing material, e.g. ablating, without cutting or boring.

In this group, the involved material should be identified by allocating the appropriate indexing codes as foreseen in B23K 2103/00 and subgroups.

Welding in a furnace.

Welding by means of an electrolyte.

Combined welding or cutting procedures or apparatus.

Filling of continuous seams of cylindrical workpieces.

Filling of continuous seams for automotive applications.

Interlayers, electrodes, rods, wires, welding studs for metallurgical bonding of workpieces, for soldering, brazing, welding techniques, characterised by their mechanical features, composition or media.

Under B23K 35/00, the last place rule is followed (classification in the last appropriate place) combined with multiple classifications for classifying a 100% disclosed alloy composition. When classifying under B23K 35/00, all essential features disclosed should be classified as invention information while all other special features disclosed in claims, description, examples and figures or diagrams should be classified as additional information.

Transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in subclass C22C. For example, a process for producing composite body consisting of soldering at least a part of a high-temperature-resistant, metallic or non-metallic component and at least a part of a high-temperature-resistant, non-metallic component, where prior to soldering, a metallic barrier layer, which is impervious to the solder melt, of one or more elements selected from the group consisting of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Ti, Zr, Hf and alloys thereof, is deposited on that surface of each non-metallic component which is to be soldered will be classified in groups B23K 35/005, B23K 35/001. Documents should also be considered for classification in the following fields: soldering methods B23K 1/19; layered products B32B 7/04, B32B 18/00; ceramics C04B 37/003, C04B 37/026; alloys C22C 14/00, C22C 16/00.

Rods, electrodes or materials for use in soldering, welding or cutting characterized by mechanical features.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in subclass C22C. For example, a bonding wire for semiconductor, comprising a core and an outer peripheral part formed of a conductive metal and the alloy thereof formed mainly of the same type of elements, respectively, and a diffusion layer or an intermetallic compound layer formed of the elements forming the core and the outer peripheral part disposed between the core and the outer peripheral part or comprising a core formed of a first metal having a conductivity or an alloy formed mainly of the first metal, an outer peripheral part formed of a second metal having a conductivity different from that of the first metal of the core or an alloy formed mainly of the second metal, and a diffusion layer or an intermetallic compound layer disposed between the core and the outer peripheral part (metals, alloy disclosed) will be classified in group B23K 35/0272. Documents should also be considered for classification in the following fields: manufacture of wires otherwise than by rolling B21C 37/042; layered products B32B 15/018; semiconductors H10W 72/015, H10W 72/50; and the relevant groups for alloys in C22C.

Rods, electrodes, materials for use in soldering, welding or cutting characterised by the composition or nature of the material, composition of soldering, brazing or welding materials.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in the relevant groups under subclass C22C. For example, a mixture for applying a polymer, non-corrosive, electroconductive coating which can be shaped in a low-abrasive manner, to a base, method for producing a non-corrosive, viscoplastic coating on a base, said coating containing polymer and inorganic particles, and to an electroconductive coating containing polymer and inorganic particles will be classified in group B23K 35/226. Documents should also be considered for classification in the following fields: inorganic and macromolecular substances as compounding ingredients in groups C08K 5/0008, C09D 5/082, C09D 5/084, C09D 5/10 and C09D 5/24; H01B 1/22 (use as a cable or conductor). For example, a flux cored wire for welding duplex stainless steel consisting of, by mass% with respect to the mass of the wire as a whole, C: 0.001 to 0.1%, Si: 0.01 to 1.0%, Mn: 2.0 to 6.0%, Cr: 17.0 to 27.0%, Ni: 1.0 to 10.0%, Mo: 0.1 to 3.0%, Al: 0.002 to 0.05%, Mg: 0.0005 to 0.01%, Ti: 0.001 to 0.5%, and N: 0.10 to 0.30%, further limiting P to 0.03% or less and S to 0.01% or less, satisfying 0.73 Cr equivalents – Ni equivalents 4.0 and Ti(mass%) N(mass%) 0.0004, and having a balance of iron and unavoidable impurities will be classified in groups B23K 35/0266, B23K 35/3086, B23K 35/3053 and B23K 35/308. Documents should be considered for classification in the following field: alloys in groups C22C 38/22, C22C 38/38 and C22C 38/40. Similarly, a process of assembling two silicon carbide pieces by non-reactive, moderate refractory welding, comprises contacting the pieces with a non-reactive welding composition respectively a binary alloy formed, as mass percentages, from 56% to 70% silicon and 44% to 30% yttrium, and heating an assembly formed by the pieces and the composition to a sufficient temperature for melting the composition and to form a moderate refractory joint will be classified in B23K 35/327, B23K 35/025 and B23K 35/24. Documents should be considered for classification purposes in the following fields: welding techniques B23K 1/19, B23K 1/20, B23K 1/0008, alloys C22C 28/00, ceramics C04B 37/006.

Coatings, fluxes compositions, as well as soldering, brazing or welding materials conjoint with non-metallic compositions.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in subclass C22C. For example, a cream solder comprising a nitrogen-containing base hydroborofluorate is included by 1x10-3 - 7x10-2 mol. to 100 gr. of flux for solder powder, the nitrogen-containing base being from e.g. propylamine, dipropylamine, allylamine, diallylamine, isobutyl-amine, sec-butylamine, tert-butylamine and the cream solder being for Ag/Pd, Ag/Pt or Ag/Pd/Pt fired body or electrode and also includes a hydrofluorate, hydrochlorate, hydrobrcmate or hydroiodate will be classified in groups B23K 35/3617, B23K 35/3612, B23K 35/025 and B23K 35/22 and will be circulated to organic chemistry field C08. Similarly, a stainless steel flux-cored welding wire for the welding of galvanized steel sheets where the sheath and the flux contain, as metal or alloying components and in a total amount based on the total mass of the wire, C: 0.01 to 0.05%, Si: 0.1 to 1.5%, Mn: 0.5 to 3%, Ni: 7 to 10% and Cr: 26 to 30% with the F value falling within the range of 30 to 50, that the flux contains, as slag formers, TiO₂: 3.8 to 6.8%, SiO₂: 1.8 to 3.2%, ZrO₂: 1.3% or below, and Al₂O₃: 0.5% or below, that the total amount of these slag formers and the other slag formers is 7.5 to 10.5%, that TiO₂ accounts for 50 to 65% of the total amount of all the slag formers, and that the balance of the sheath and the flux consists of Fe and unavoidable impurities will be classified in groups B23K 35/0266, B23K 35/308, B23K 35/362 and B23K 35/368. Documents should also be considered for classification in the following fields: Welding techniques B23K 9/00; Alloys C22C 38/02, C22C 38/04, C22C 38/40, C22C 18/04.

Selection of media in soldering or welding.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in the relevant groups under C22C. For example, a perfluoro-heptaglyme, improved vapour-phase soldering fluid prepared by perfluorination of heptaglyme and method of vapor-phase soldering employing perfluoroheptaglyme as vapor phase soldering fluid is classified in groups B23K 35/386, B23K 35/38.

Processes of making wire, rods or electrodes for soldering or welding.

If a composition is given, it should also be classified in the relevant groups under subclass C22C. For example, a tungsten electrode (alloy composition disclosed) and its method of manufacture will be classified in groups B23K 35/402, C22C 1/04, C22C 27/04 and B23K 9/24. Similarly, a seamless-tube compound welding electrode made by filling of a pre-formed tube closed at the bottom with a mixture consisting of several granulated materials such as flux, de-oxidisers or carbides, which are periodically compacted by means of a punch introduced from the top, following which the tube is size-reduced by rolling or drawing, which also further compacts the filling will be classified in groups B23K 35/406, B23K 35/327, B23K 35/0272 and B23K 35/302.

Composite materials, e.g. fibre reinforced.