broaching machine, tool for finishing surfaces by drawing or pushing a cutter called a broach entirely over and past the surface. A broach has a series of cutting teeth arranged in a row or rows, graduated in height from the teeth that cut first to those that cut last. Since the total depth of cut is distributed over all the teeth, each tooth removes only a few thousandths of an inch. Broaching is particularly suitable for internal surfaces such as holes and internal gears, but it can also shape external gears and flat surfaces. Broaching machines are usually hydraulically operated.