A shaper is a machine tool primarily designed to generate a flat surface by a single point cutting tool. Besides this, it may also be used to perform many other operations. The different operations, which a shaper can perform, are as follows :

• Machining horizontal surface

• Machining vertical surface

• Machining angular surface

• Slot cutting

• Key ways cutting

• Machining irregular surface

• Machining splines and cutting gears