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
