United States International Trade Commision Rulings And Harmonized Tariff Schedule
faqs.org  Rulings By Number  Rulings By Category  Tariff Numbers
faqs.org > Rulings and Tariffs Home > Rulings By Number > 1991 NY Rulings > NY 0859722 - NY 0859825 > NY 0859752

Previous Ruling Next Ruling


NY 859752


Feb. 11, 1991

CLA-2-85:S:N:N1:103 859752

CATEGORY: CLASSIFICATION

TARIFF NO.: 8515.21.0000; 8514.10.0000; 8479.89.9090

Mr. Scott A. Cohn
Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz & Silverman 12 East 49th Street
New York, N.Y. 10017

RE: The tariff classification of armature and stator manufacturing machines from Italy

Dear Mr. Cohn:

In your letter dated January 21, 1991 on behalf of Axis USA, Inc. you requested a tariff classification ruling.

This request represents one of several ruling requests you have submitted covering the importation of various machines for the manufacture of armatures and stators. The armatures and stators made by this equipment will be used as components of electric motors for small household appliances, power tools, and automobile DC motors.

Armatures basically consist of coils of wire wound around an iron core. They are produced by assembling metal laminations, or stacks, into a cylindrical shape and then inserting a shaft into slots in the stacks. A commutator, consisting of a molded plastic ring surrounded by a copper shell, is then placed onto the end of the shaft, and wires are wound around the shaft and fused to the commutator. During this process insulating materials are inserted at various stages so as to protect the armature components and wires, and the wires are coated with a resin to protect them from dirt and wear. Finally, the electrical connections in each completed armature are tested. The armatures are transported on metal pallets along a conveyor system from machine to machine as the assembly process occurs. Stators, which are stationary parts of a motor about which a rotor revolves, are produced in much the same fashion.

You inquired about the following specific machines:

1. Model ACF commutator fuser - a machine which fuses the copper wire to the commutator tangs by means of a low voltage welding head. The welding head heats the tang, causing the insulation around the wire to melt and fuse to the tang.

2. Model AMTI automatic trickle impregnating machine - a machine which heats the armatures in a convection oven, trickles polyester resin onto the exposed copper wires, and then places the armatures in a second convection oven to gelify and cure the resin.

3. Models SST/W and Sassi GE-SS stator stacking and welding machines - machines which assemble a stack from pre-formed metal plates or laminations and then perform a TIG welding operation to weld the stack together.

4. Model TCM terminal crimping machine - a machine which mechanically crimps electrical terminals to the stator's wires.

5. Model TFM terminal fusing machine - a machine which fuses the electrical terminals to the stator wires by means of a low voltage welding head. The welding head heats the terminals, causing the insulation around the wires to melt and fuse to the terminals.

Control panels for each machine described above may also be imported with the particular machine.

The applicable subheading for the Model ACF commutator fuser, Models SST/W and Sassi GE-SS stator stacking and welding machines, and Model TFM terminal fusing machine will be 8515.21.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for machines and apparatus for electric resistance welding of metal: fully or partly automatic. The rate of duty will be 2 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for the Model AMTI automatic trickle impregnating machine will be 8514.10.0000, HTS, which provides for industrial or laboratory electric resistance heated furnaces and ovens. The rate of duty will be 2.5 percent ad valorem.

Finally, the applicable subheading for the Model TCM terminal crimping machine will be 8479.89.9090, HTS, which provides for other machines and mechanical appliances having individual functions, not specified or included elsewhere: other. The rate of duty will be 3.7 percent ad valorem.

A control panel imported together with the machine it will control will be classified in the same subheading as the machine. The above merchandise is not subject to any Voluntary Restraint Agreements or visa requirements.

In a supplemental letter dated January 31, 1991 you also inquired about disassembled machines and parts. In the absence of specific information, we are unable to provide you with a ruling on these matters. However, for your information, a particular heading for a machine includes such a machine in a disassembled state, per General Rule of Interpretation 2(a). If the importation does not contain all the components of the disassembled machine, it will still be classified in the heading for the complete machine provided it has the essential character of the complete machine. Parts of machines, including spare parts, which are not goods provided for in any of the other headings of chapters 84 or 85, nor excluded from chapters 84 or 85, will be classified in the same heading as the machine of which they are a part provided they are solely or principally used with such machine (see Notes 1 and 2 of section XVI, Note 1 to chapter 84, and Note 1 of chapter 85, HTS).

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the transaction.

Sincerely,

Jean F. Maguire
Area Director

Previous Ruling Next Ruling

See also: