WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
84.56 - Machine-tools for working any material by removaI of material, by laser or other light or photon beam, ultrasonic, electro-discharge, electro-chemical, electron beam, ionic-beam or plasma arc processes; water-jet cutting machines. 8456.10 - Operated by laser or other light or photon beam processes 8456.20 - Operated by ultrasonic processes - Operated by electro-discharge processes - Other 8456.30 8456.90 The machine-tools of this heading are machines used for the shaping or surface-working of any material. They must meet three essential requirements : (i) They must work by removing material; (ii) They must carry out operations of the kind performed by machine-tools equipped with conventional tools; (iii) They must use me of the followin seven processes : laser or other light or photon beam, ultrasonic, electrodischarge, electroc emical, electron beam, ionic-beam or plasma arc. 5-1 This heading also covers water-jet cutting machines described in Part (H) below. This headin however, excludes the following kinds of machines, which are provided for in heading 84.& : (i) Machines for working any material by removal of material, of a kind used solel or p+cipally for the manufacture of semiconductor boules or wafers, semiconductor devices, egctromc ~ntegrated circuits or flat panel displays. (ii) Machines for working any material b removal of material, of a kind used solely or principally for the manufacture or repair of masks anBret1c1es. (iii) Machines for dry-etching patterns on semiconductor materials. Exam les of the foregoing products are (1) laser-beam machine tools which drill semiconductor crystals ultrasonic process machine-tools which cut semiconductor chips or which cut or drill ceramic and substrates for integrated circuits. (l) (A) MACHINE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY LASER OR OTHER LIGHT OR PHOTON BEAM PROCESSES I" Laser-beam machining hotonic machining consists of bombarding a target with photons. This group covers, in particu ar, machines for dn ling (metals, rubies for watches, etc.), machines for cutting metals or other hard materials and machmes for engraving (figures, letters, lines, etc.) on various highly resistant materials. (B) MACHINE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY ULTRASONIC PROCESSES Ultrasonic machine-tools consist of a punch subjected to ultrasonic vibrations and an abrasive in suspension in a liquid. These machines may incorporate! an abrasive recycling system. This group includes machine-tools which are used, in particular : (1) For working diamond or metal carbide dies; (2) For drilling or shaping minerals; (3) For engraving glass; (4) For milling, broaching or polishing. (C) MACHTNE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY ELECTRO-DISCHARGE PROCESSES The principle of this type of machining is the removal of metal between two metallic electrodes (the workpiece and the tool) b sudden electrical discharges of ve short duration at the rate of several hundred thousand c c es per second. This group covers, or example, high-frequency electric-spark cutting mac ines. K (D) MACHINE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY ELECTRO-CHEMICAL PROCESSES dissolution. of machining is the removal of metal by electrolysis. The workpiece of electricity as is the tool (cathode). Both are submerged in a selected cathodic deposition impossible, and all that occurs is anodic This group includes : (1) Electrolytic polishing apparatus, used for polishing specimens for microscopic or metallurgical examination. (2) Electrolytic sharpeners for sharpening cutting tools, cuttin chip-breaker grooves or cutting metal cafblde plates; these machines utilise a diamond w eel. fl (3) Machines for deburring various kinds of gear-wheel by anodic dissolution. (4) Machines for precision finishing flat surfaces, etc. (E) MACHINE TOOLS FOR WORKING BY ELECTRON BEAM PROCESSES Electron beam machining consists of bombarding the workpiece on a ve small surface with electrons emitted by a cathode, accelerated by an intense electrical fiela and focussed by a system of magnetic or electrostatic lenses. (F) MACHINE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY IONIC-BEAM PROCESSES The beam of these machine-tools works by continuous action, not by impulses as in the case of the laser beam. (G) MACHINE-TOOLS FOR WORKING BY PLASMA ARC PROCESSES Plasma arc machining involves intense ionisation of a gas by means of an electric current roduced by a magnetic impulse generator under high tension. It permits cutting plates at a very Righ speed and rough-cutting and machining coarse-feeding threads. (H) WATER-JET CUTTING MACHINES This group includes water-jet and water-abrasive jet cutting machines. These are machines designed to cut materials by a process using streams of water or of water mixed with very fine abrasives, ically at a velocity of 2 to 3 times the speed of sound. They operate under 000 to 4,000 bars and are capable of making multiple es of precision cuts in a pressures variety of materials. Water-jet cutting machines are typically used or softer materials (foam, soft rubber, gasket material, foils, etc.). Water-abrasive jet cutting machlnes are typically used for harder materials (tool steel, hard rubber, composites, stone, glass, aluminium, stainless steel, etc.). OR, I" PARTS AND ACCESSORIES Sub'ect to the general provisions regarding the classification of parts (see the General Exp anatory Note to Section XVI), parts and accessories of the machines of this heading are classified in heading 84.66. The heading also excludes : (a) UItrasonic apparatus for cleaning (heading 84.79). (b) Soldering, brazing or welding machines and apparatus, whether or not capable of cutting (heading 85.15). (c) Testing machines (heading 90.24).
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);