WCO Explanatory Notes reproduced for reference. © World Customs Organization. Verify against official WCO publication.
90.16 - Balances of a sensivity of 5 cg or better, with or without weights. This heading covers balances of all types, including electronic balances, rovided their sensitivity is 5 c or better. Wei hts resented with such balances fall in ti'is headin , but weights presente separately, even i ma e of precious metal, are excluded (heading 84.28. h fcf Many of the balances of this heading are desi ed for precision measurement and are made of non-corrosive metal or of light alloys, with knig-edges, bearings and planes of agate. To protect the balances fiom air currents and dust, they may be enclosed in a glass or plastics case or built in a cabinet consisting chiefly of glass or plastics; they are then panipdated by handles and other devices outside the cabinet. They may also be fitted with an optical device (e.g., magnifying lens), be artificially illuminated to assist in reading the scale, or be fitted wth levelling devices (tripod, adjustable screws, spirit-level, etc.). In certain torsion balances, the weight to be measured is counterbalanced by the torsion of a wire. Certain electronic balances are used in a vacuum or under controlled pressure, to record the variations in weight of substances submitted to special treatment (heating, cooling, the action of a gas, vacuum treatment, exposure to light, etc.). Weight variations are measured by recording the current passing through a magnetic balancing coil. The heading includes : (1) Analytical balances (e.g., microchemical balances, microbalances, aperiodic analytical balances) used mainly in quantitative chemical analysis. (2) Assay balances, used in the assaying of precious metals. (3) Balances for precious stones, graduated in carats. (4) Chemists' balances, yarn balances, samples balances (used to establish the weight of paper, textile fabrics, etc.). (5) Hydrostatic (or specific gravity) balances, for ascertaining the specific gravity of liquids or solids. PARTS AND ACCESSORIES Subject to the provisions of Notes 1 and 2 to this Cha Eer (see the General Explanatory parts and accessories (includin mounted or unmounte agate knife-ed es, bearings and identifiable as bein suitable or use solely or principally with the b ances of tlus hea&ng are also classified here $for example, beams, trays, cabinets, dials, tripods, swing dampers). B 'f Balances of a sensitivity poorer than 5 cg are excluded (heading 84.23).
1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Articles of a kind used in machines, appliances or for other technical uses, of vulcanised rubber other than hard rubber (heading 40.16), of leather or of composition leather (heading 42.05) or of textile material (heading 59.11); (b) Supporting belts or other support articles of textile material, whose intended effect on the organ to be supported or held derives solely from their elasticity (for example, maternity belts, thoracic support bandages, abdominal support bandages, supports for joints or muscles) (Section XI); (c) Refractory goods of heading 69.03; ceramic wares for laboratory, chemical or other technical uses, of heading 69.09; (d) Glass mirrors, not optically worked, of heading 70.09, or mirrors of base metal or of precious metal, not being optical elements (heading 83.06 or Chapter 71); (e) Goods of heading 70.07, 70.08, 70.11, 70.14, 70.15 or 70.17; (f) Parts of general use, as defined in Note 2 to Section XV, of base metal (Section XV) or similar goods of plastics (Chapter 39); however, articles specially designed for use exclusively in implants in medical, surgical, dental or veterinary sciences are to be classified in heading 90.21; (g) Pumps incorporating measuring devices, of heading 84.13; weight-operated counting or checking machinery, or separately presented weights for balances (heading 84.23); lifting or handling machinery (headings 84.25 to 84.28); paper or paperboard cutting machines of all kinds (heading 84.41); fittings for adjusting work or tools on machine-tools or water-jet cutting machines, of heading 84.66, including fittings with optical devices for reading the scale (for example, “optical” dividing heads) but not those which are in themselves essentially optical instruments (for example, alignment telescopes); calculating machines (heading 84.70); valves or other appliances of heading 84.81; machines and apparatus (including apparatus for the projection or drawing of circuit patterns on sensitised semiconductor materials) of heading 84.86; (h) Searchlights or spotlights of a kind used for cycles or motor vehicles (heading 85.12); portable electric lamps of heading 85.13; cinematographic sound recording, reproducing or re-recording apparatus (heading 85.19); sound-heads (heading 85.22); television cameras, digital cameras and video camera recorders (heading 85.25); radar apparatus, radio navigational aid apparatus or radio remote control apparatus (heading 85.26); connectors for optical fibres, optical fibre bundles or cables (heading 85.36); numerical control apparatus of heading 85.37; sealed beam lamp units of heading 85.39; optical fibre cables of heading 85.44; (ij) Searchlights or spotlights of heading 94.05; (k) Articles of Chapter 95; (l) Monopods, bipods, tripods and similar articles, of heading 96.20; (m) Capacity measures, which are to be classified according to their constituent material; or (n) Spools, reels or similar supports (which are to be classified according to their constituent material, for example, in heading 39.23 or Section XV).