WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
84.43 Printing machinery used for printin by means of plates, cylinders and other printing components of headmg 84. 2; other printers, copying machines and facsimile machines, whether or not combined; parts and accessories thereof (+). i - Printing machinery used for printin by means of plates, cylinders and other printing components of heading 84. 2 : f - - Offset printing machinery, reel-fed 8443.12 - - Offset printing machinery, sheet-fed, office type 8443.11 (usin sheets with one side not exceeding 22 cm and the other side not excee ing 36 cm in the unfolded state) f - - Other offset printing machinery 8443.14 - - Letterpress printing machinery, reel fed, excluding flexographic printing 8443.15 - - Letterpress printing machinery, other than reel fed, excluding flexographic 8443.13 printing - - Flexographic printing machinery 8443.17 - - Gravure printing machinery 8443.19 - - Other - Other printers, copying machines and facsimile machines, 8443.16 combined : whether or not 8443.3 1 - - Machines which perform two or more of the functions of printing, copying 8443.32 - - Other, ca 8443.39 - - Other - Parts and accessories : or facsimile transmission, capable of connecting to an automatic data processing machine or to a network Pable of connecting to an automatic data processing machine or to a networ 8443.91 - - Parts and accessories of printing machinery used for printin b means of plates, cylinders and other printrng components of heading 8$.4? 8443.99 - - Other This heading covers (1) all machines used for printing by means of the plates or cylinders of the previous heading, and (2) other printers, copyng machines and facsimile machines, whether or not combined. The heading includes machines for printing a re etitive desi , repetitive wording or overall colour on textiles, wallpaper, wrapping paper, rub er, plastics s eeting, linoleum, leather, etc. g t (I) PRINTING MACHINERY USED FOR PRINTING BY MEANS OF PLATES, CYLINDERS AND OTHER PRINTING COMPONENTS OF HEADING 84.42 The most common of these machines are rotary presses. In their simplest form, these presses usually consist of a cylinder with two semi-cylindrical lates (letter press), or of cylinders which may be either engraved ( w e rinting) or impressed foffset printing); rotary resses for colourlaced side by side. rinting are equipped wiEeverJgrinting cylinders, thelr inking rollers being p! Eince all the printing, pressing an inking mechanisms are rotary, these presses can be used for both continuous printin and sheet by sheet printing, in black or in colour, on single sides or on yratog presses can be divided into two sub-categories : both sides of the paper. several printing units on a (1) Reel-fed presses, in which some large rotary single &me, and which enable all the pa es periodical to be printed in one sequence of operations, so that, in g e pages are delivered, cut folded, assembled, stapled and stacked by various ancillary machines working i; conjunction with the printing machine. (2) Sheet-fed resses, in which the sheets are transported through the printing units by gripp.. Eheet-fed presses have a feeder, one or more printing units, and a delivery mec anism. In the feeder the sheets are taken fiom a pile, aligned, and forwarded to the printing unit. In the delivery mechanism the printed sheets are collected in a pile. This group also includes printing presses using a movable plate (or platen), and cylinder printing machines. The above printing resses (particularly the small or medium-sized rotary presses) can be fitted with a series of rna&mg-up units arranged side b side with the printin units, so that, starting fkom a single reel of pa er, complex products &.g, box shapes, pac giogs, labels, railway tickets) can be complete&n one single and continuous operation. L In addition to the typical types of printing machines, this heading also covers special machines such as : (i) Machines for printing tin foil boxes or other containers. (ii) Machines for printing clock or watch dials or other articles of special shapes. (iii) Machines for printing on corks, tubes, candles, etc. (iv) Machines for marking clothing. (v) Machines for printing book page signatures. (vi) Numbering, dating, etc., machines (other than hand-operated date and similar stam s of heading 96.11) operating with irons, bands of letters or figures, etc., whether or not ized. (vii) Certain small office printing machines which operate by means of printing type or by the offset process, and which are improperly referred to as "duplicatmg machmes" because their operating principles and appearance are similar to those of duplicating machines. This goup also includes colour printin machines, used to colour, after they have been first printed in black and white, special art e itions, playing cards, children's illustrations, etc., by means of stencils or stencil-plates, the colour being applled by brushes, rollers or by spraying. Machines for printing a repetitive design, repetitive words or overall colour on textiles, wallpaper, wrapping paper, linoleum, leather, etc., include : (1) Block printing machines in which blocks engraved with the design, generally in relief, are repeatedly pressed on the cloth, wallpaper, etc., as it passes thou the machine, thus producing a continuous design; the same machines are also used or printing separate designs (e.g., on scarves or handkerchiefs). P (2) Roller printing machines, usually consisting of a large central cylinder (pressure bowl) around the peri hery of which is placed a series of engraved colour rollers, each with its colour trough, R,isher roller, doctor blades, etc. (3) Screen printing machines. The material to be printed asses through the machine together with a stencil-screen band, the colour being applied Lough the stencil. (4) Warp printing machines which, before weaving, print a design on the sheet of parallel warp yarns unrolled fiom the warp beam. (5) Yarn printing machines. These produce colour effects on the yarn (or sometimes on the roving before it is spun into yarn). (11) OTHER PRINTERS, COPYING MACHINES AND FACSIMILE MACHINES, WRETHER OR NOT COMBINED This group covers : (A) Printers. This group includes apparatus for the rinting of text, characters or images on print media, other than those that are described in art (I) above. d' These apparatus accept data fiom various sources (e.g,, automatic data processing machines, flatbed desktop scanners, networks). Most Incorporate memory to store that data. The products of this heading may create the characters or images by means such as laser, ink-jet, dot matrix or t h e m 1 print processes. The two most common types of printers are : (1) Electrostatic printers, which employ a process that involves electrostatic charges, toner and light. A light source (e.g., a laser, a light-emitting diode) is used to cancel the charge at specific points on a positively charged photoconductive surface (usually a drum) leaving a osihvely charged lica of the image. The negatively charged toner is electrostabcal y am-acted to the %oconcluctive surface, reproducrng the original image. The toner is electrostatica ly transferred to the print medium, which has a stronger positive charge than the photoconductive surface, and the image is then fused to the print medium by applying pressure and heat. P f' (2) Inkjet printers. These machines place drops of ink onto a print medium to create an image. This heading includes printers presented separately for incorporation in or connection to other products of the nomenclature (e.g., receipt printers of cash registers of heading 84.70). (B) Copying machines. This group includes apparatus for the production of copies fiom original documents, such as : (1) DigitaI copiers in which the original document is scanned and a photosensitive surface (e.g., a charge-coupled device (CCD) or photo-diode sensing array) converts the optical image into digitally coded electrical signals that are stored in which operates in the same manner as the printers Explanatory Note, then uses that data to produce Original documents need only be scanned once to produce multi le copies, as the digtal representation of the image is stored in memory. Part (D) be ow describes such apparatus when capable of connecting to an automatic data processing machine or to a network. f (2) Photocopiers in which the optical image of the original document must be projected onto the photosensitive surface for each copy. The most common types are : (a) Electrostatic photocopying apparatus which operates either by reproducing the original image directly onto the copy (direct rocess) or by reproducing ,the original image via an intermediate onto the copy &direct process). In the direct rocess the optical image is projected onto a substrate (usually of paper) coate with, for example, zinc oxide or anthracene, charged with static electricity. After the latent image has been developed by means of a powdered dye, it is fixed to the substrate by heat treatment. In the indiiect After the latent image transferred onto paper by heat treatment. drum (orplate) coated charged with static electricity. of a owdered dye, it is eld and fixed to the R (b) Apparatus using chemical emulsion coatings in which the hotosensitive surface consists of an emulsion usually containing silver salts or fiazo compounds (the latter being designed for exposure to light with a high ultraviolet content). The developing and printing processes vary according to the nature of the emulsion and the type of apparatus (wet or dry developers, heat treatment, ammonia vapour, transfer techniques, etc.). This group also includes contact type photocopying apparatus and thermo-copying apparatus. (C) Facsimile machines. Facsimile (or fax) machines are for the transmission and reception of text or graphics over a network and for the printing of a reproduction of the original text or graphics. Part (D) below describes such apparatus when capable of performing a copying function. @) Combinations of printers, copying machines or facsimile machines. Machines which perform two or more of the functions of printing, co ying or facsimile transmission are generally referred to as multi-fhctional machines. T ese machines are capable of connecting to an automatic data processing machine or to a network. The criterion "ca able of connecting to an automatic data processing machine or to a network" is descn ed in the Subheadtng Explanatory Note below. g PARTS AND ACCESSORIES Sub'ect to the general provisions regarding the classification of parts (see the General Exp anatory Note to Section XVI), the heading also covers parts and accessories of the machines of this heading. t d This would include, for example, machines (whether or not presented separately for uses ancillary to printing exclusively designed to operate with printing machines and use during or after the printing operation for feeding, handling or further worlung the sheets or rolls of paper. Such machines, whch are usually separate from the printing machine itself, include : (I) Stock or ile elevators and paper trays or drawers, which hold the blank sheets ready to be (2) Automatic feeders, used for sheet by sheet printing. Their function is to feed sheets one by one, perfectly centred, into the machine. (3) Sheet delive mechanisms, similar in desi to feeders, but carrying out the reverse process (i-e.,t ey deliver and pile the printed s eets). X K" (4) Sorters, which stack and collate printed sheets of multi-page documents. (5) Folders,.gummers, perforators and staplers. These are offen used, at the delivery end of the printing machine, to fold and staple or stitch printed pages (of newspapers, folders, periodicals, etc.). If, however, they are not designed exclusively for use in conjunction with a printing machine, they are excluded (heading 84.40 or 84.41, as the case may be). (6) Serial numbering machines, small accessory machines operating with rolls of figures. These deposit metal powder on sheets as (7) Bronzing machines for the printing indus they emerge from the printing machine in whlc they have just been mordant-printed. "K This heading also includes drums and plates used in electrostatic photocopying apparatus, guide rollers and mounted oil supply pads. The heading also excludes : (a) Cylinder blankets and covers of textile fabric, rubberised textile fabric, felt, rubber, etc. (classified according to the constituent material). (b) Machinery for labelling bottles, cans, boxes, bags or other containers, and wrapping machinery (heading 84.22). (c) Machines with an ancill printing device, e.g., certain bag filling or packing machines (headin 84.22); certain m z i n e s for making up aper or aperboard (heading 84.41). If presented separatefy, the printing device remains classifietin this Lading provided it prints by one of the processes of the machines of this heading. (d) Anti-smudging spraying machines (heading 84.24). (e) Hectographic and stencil duplicating machines, and addressing machines (heading 84.72). (f) Pattern generating apparatus (heading 84.86). (g) Cameras for recording documents on microfilm,microfiche or other microforms (heading 90.06). (h) Ordinary photographic printing frames (heading 90.10). (ij) Drawing instruments of heading 90.17. (k) Hand-operated label embossers of heading 96.11. Subheading ExpIanatory Notes. Subheadings 8443.11,8443.12 and 8443.13 These subheadin s cover printing machinery in which the impression is obtained by means of a printing plate on which k e design is reproduced in the flat, i.e., in neither intaglio nor relief (offset rinting process). The formation of the unage ta be printed is based on the principle of the mutual re &ion of water and fatty substances. The printing, always performed on a rotary machine, is not obtaine!by direct contact of the printin medium on the material to be printed, but by intermediate transfer onto a rubber cylinder called a bl&et which, in turn, transfms the irna e onto the matter to be printed. The machnery of these subheadings is characterised by the presence of h e blanket and of a devlce used to continuously dam en the non- nnting arts of the printing plate which is fixed to a metal cylinder. Offset printing mac ines can be k d by roes or sheets. f, Subheadings 8443.14 and 8443.15 Letterpress printing is a process whereby the ink is transferred under pressure to the printing surface fiom the raised parts of the type. The type consists of individual characters, lines or image-bearing plates, all of the same height. These subheadings do not, however, cover flexographic printing machinery. Subheading 8443.16 Flexographic printing is a process employing the letterpress princi le for simple work (printing of ackagin , forms, leaflets, etc.), and in which the printing plate is ogrubber or thermoplasllc material gonded &ectly to the impression cylinder. These machines are simpler and lighter than other printing presses; the print continuous webs of paper in one or more colours, using an ink based on alcohol or other volatiz sol\-ents. Subheading 8443.17 In gravure printin ,the ink accumulated in different volumes in en aved or etched pa+ of fhe printing plate is transferre by pressure onto the surface to be printed. Ths o m of printing has ~ t sor~ginsin line engravin and etchin where a graver or an acid is used to incise lines of different depths in a polished copper p ate. The sur ace of the plate remains free of ink, which collects in the lines in sufficient quantity to yleld an impression. d k F= cylinder is used The,principle of gravure printing is similar to that of line engraving and etching. A KO instead of the plate. The image or signs are transferred onto a cyl~ndricalplate electrop ated with copper by mechanical or photochemcal means. Subheadings 8443.31 and 8443.32 The criterion " capable of connecting to an automatic data rocessing machine or to a network " denotes that the apparatus comprises all the components necessary or its connection to a network or an automatic data processing machine to be effected simply by attaching a cable. The capability to acc t the addition of a component (e.g., a "card") that would then allow the connection of a cable is not su icient to meet the terms of these subheadin s. Conversely, that the component to which a cable would be connected is present but inaccessible or ot erwise unable to effect a connection (e.g., swtches must first be set) is not sufficient to exclude goods from these subheadings. %
Notes. 1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Millstones, grindstones or other articles of Chapter 68; (b) Machinery or appliances (for example, pumps) of ceramic material and ceramic parts of machinery or appliances of any material (Chapter 69); (c) Laboratory glassware (heading 70.17); machinery, appliances or other articles for technical uses or parts thereof, of glass (heading 70.19 or 70.20); (d) Articles of heading 73.21 or 73.22 or similar articles of other base metals (Chapters 74 to 76 or 78 to 81); (e) Vacuum cleaners of heading 85.08; (f) Electro-mechanical domestic appliances of heading 85.09; digital cameras of heading 85.25; (g) Radiators for the articles of Section XVII; or (h) Hand-operated mechanical floor sweepers, not motorised (heading 96.03). 2.- Subject to the operation of Note 3 to Section XVI and subject to Note 11 to this Chapter, a machine or appliance which answers to a description in one or more of the headings 84.01 to 84.24, or heading 84.86 and at the same time to a description in one or more of the headings 84.25 to 84.80 is to be classified under the appropriate heading of the former group or under heading 84.86, as the case may be, and not the latter group. (A) Heading 84.19 does not, however, cover : (i) Germination plant, incubators or brooders (heading 84.36); (ii) Grain dampening machines (heading 84.37); (iii) Diffusing apparatus for sugar juice extraction (heading 84.38); (iv) Machinery for the heat-treatment of textile yarns, fabrics or made up textile articles (heading 84.51); or (v) Machinery, plant or laboratory equipment designed for a mechanical operation, in which a change of temperature, even if necessary, is subsidiary. (B) Heading 84.22 does not cover : (i) Sewing machines for closing bags or similar containers (heading 84.52); or (ii) Office machinery of heading 84.72. (C) Heading 84.24 does not cover : (i) Ink-jet printing machines (heading 84.43); or (ii) Water-jet cutting machines (heading 84.56). 3.- A machine-tool for working any material which answers to a description in heading 84.56 and at the same time to a description in heading 84.57, 84.58, 84.59, 84.60, 84.61, 84.64 or 84.65 is to be classified in heading 84.56. 4.- Heading 84.57 applies only to machine-tools for working metal, other than lathes (including turning centres), which can carry out different types of machining operations either : (a) by automatic tool change from a magazine or the like in conformity with a machining programme (machining centres), (b) by the automatic use, simultaneously or sequentially, of different unit heads working on a fixed position workpiece (unit construction machines, single station), or (c) by the automatic transfer of the workpiece to different unit heads (multi-station transfer machines). 5.- For the purposes of heading 84.62, a “slitting line” for flat products is a processing line composed of an uncoiler, a coil flattener, a slitter and a recoiler. A “cut-to-length line” for flat products is a processing line composed of an uncoiler, a coil flattener, and a shear. 6.- (A) For the purposes of heading 84.71, the expression “automatic data processing machines” means machines capable of : (i) Storing the processing program or programs and at least the data immediately necessary for the execution of the program; (ii) Being freely programmed in accordance with the requirements of the user; (iii) Performing arithmetical computations specified by the user; and (iv) Executing, without human intervention, a processing program which requires them to modify their execution, by logical decision during the processing run. (B) Automatic data processing machines may be in the form of systems consisting of a variable number of separate units. (C) Subject to paragraphs (D) and (E) below, a unit is to be regarded as being part of an automatic data processing system if it meets all of the following conditions : (i) It is of a kind solely or principally used in an automatic data processing system; (ii) It is connectable to the central processing unit either directly or through one or more other units; and (iii) It is able to accept or deliver data in a form (codes or signals) which can be used by the system. Separately presented units of an automatic data processing machine are to be classified in heading 84.71. However, keyboards, X-Y co-ordinate input devices and disk storage units which satisfy the conditions of paragraphs (C) (ii) and (C) (iii) above, are in all cases to be classified as units of heading 84.71. (D) Heading 84.71 does not cover the following when presented separately, even if they meet all of the conditions set forth in Note 6 (C) above : (i) Printers, copying machines, facsimile machines, whether or not combined; (ii) Apparatus for the transmission or reception of voice, images or other data, including apparatus for communication in a wired or wireless network (such as a local or wide area network); (iii) Loudspeakers and microphones; (iv) Television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders; (v) Monitors and projectors, not incorporating television reception apparatus. (E) Machines incorporating or working in conjunction with an automatic data processing machine and performing a specific function other than data processing are to be classified in the headings appropriate to their respective functions or, failing that, in residual headings. 7.- Heading 84.82 applies, inter alia, to polished steel balls, the maximum and minimum diameters of which do not differ from the nominal diameter by more than 1 % or by more than 0.05 mm, whichever is less. Other steel balls are to be classified in heading 73.26. 8.- A machine which is used for more than one purpose is, for the purposes of classification, to be treated as if its principal purpose were its sole purpose. Subject to Note 2 to this Chapter and Note 3 to Section XVI, a machine the principal purpose of which is not described in any heading or for which no one purpose is the principal purpose is, unless the context otherwise requires, to be classified in heading 84.79. Heading 84.79 also covers machines for making rope or cable (for example, stranding, twisting or cabling machines) from metal wire, textile yarn or any other material or from a combination of such materials. 9.- For the purposes of heading 84.70, the term “pocket-size” applies only to machines the dimensions of which do not exceed 170 mm x 100 mm x 45 mm. 10.- For the purposes of heading 84.85, the expression “additive manufacturing” (also referred to as 3D printing) means the formation of physical objects, based on a digital model, by the successive addition and layering, and consolidation and solidification, of material (for example, metal, plastics or ceramics). Subject to Note 1 to Section XVI and Note 1 to Chapter 84, machines answering to the description in heading 84.85 are to be classified in that heading and in no other heading of the Nomenclature. 11.- (A) Notes 12 (a) and 12 (b) to Chapter 85 also apply with respect to the expressions “semiconductor devices” and “electronic integrated circuits”, respectively, as used in this Note and in heading 84.86. However, for the purposes of this Note and of heading 84.86, the expression “semiconductor devices” also covers photosensitive semiconductor devices and light-emitting diodes (LED). (B) For the purposes of this Note and of heading 84.86, the expression “manufacture of flat panel displays” covers the fabrication of substrates into a flat panel. It does not cover the manufacture of glass or the assembly of printed circuit boards or other electronic components onto the flat panel. The expression “flat panel display” does not cover cathode-ray tube technology. (C) Heading 84.86 also includes machines and apparatus solely or principally of a kind used for : (i) the manufacture or repair of masks and reticles; (ii) assembling semiconductor devices or electronic integrated circuits; (iii) lifting, handling, loading or unloading of boules, wafers, semiconductor devices, electronic integrated circuits and flat panel displays. (D) Subject to Note 1 to Section XVI and Note 1 to Chapter 84, machines and apparatus answering to the description in heading 84.86 are to be classified in that heading and in no other heading of the Nomenclature. Subheading Notes. 1.- For the purposes of subheading 8465.20, the term “machining centres” applies only to machine-tools for working wood, cork, bone, hard rubber, hard plastics or similar hard materials, which can carry out different types of machining operations by automatic tool change from a magazine or the like in conformity with a machining programme. 2.- For the purposes of subheading 8471.49, the term “systems” means automatic data processing machines whose units satisfy the conditions laid down in Note 6 (C) to Chapter 84 and which comprise at least a central processing unit, one input unit (for example, a keyboard or a scanner), and one output unit (for example, a visual display unit or a printer). 3.- For the purposes of subheading 8481.20, the expression “valves for oleohydraulic or pneumatic transmissions” means valves which are used specifically in the transmission of “fluid power” in a hydraulic or pneumatic system, where the energy source is supplied in the form of pressurised fluids (liquid or gas). These valves may be of any type (for example, pressure-reducing type, check type). Subheading 8481.20 takes precedence over all other subheadings of heading 84.81. 4.- Subheading 8482.40 applies only to bearings with cylindrical rollers of a uniform diameter not exceeding 5 mm and having a length which is at least three times the diameter. The ends of the rollers may be rounded.