Sourcing gear measuring machines from China

Duty and classification for gear measurement

Heading 9031 covers measuring and checking equipment not specified elsewhere in the chapter. Gear geometry measuring machines are candidates for 9031 80 20 00. Optical gear inspection instruments, profile projectors and separately imported parts have other possible lines. The table presents alternatives and related equipment, rather than interchangeable codes. See the wider coordinate measuring machines guide.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing duties or suspensions. Test benches elsewhere in this heading carried 2%. The tariff attaches an import control of fluorinated greenhouse gases to parts and accessories and to other measuring or checking instruments. Confirm the requirement for the actual goods with your customs broker.

Give your broker the measurement principle, machine function, technical specification and separately shipped accessories to confirm the commodity code. The illustrative order uses values from the published measuring equipment example, not a supplier quotation. See import duty and VAT for the calculation.

Specify the gears and the measurement task

Send drawings and representative gears. Define external or internal teeth, spur or helical geometry, module range, gear diameter, face width, bore and workpiece weight. List the required results: tooth profile, helix, pitch and runout. Agree the datum, clamping method, probe access and report layout before selecting the machine.

Set contractual accuracy and repeatability criteria for each measurement task. Ask for traceable calibration evidence and a demonstration using your reference gears. Include probes, styli, mandrels, fixtures, software modules, licence transfer terms and installation support in the specification.

For powered machines, check machinery, electrical safety and electromagnetic compatibility evidence. New machinery placed on the Great Britain market must have CE or UKCA marking, a declaration of conformity and instructions in English. Ask the supplier to identify the requirements applicable to the supplied configuration.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative shipment of four gear measuring machines under 9031 80 20 00, invoiced at £120,000 free on board, with £6,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £126,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £126,000, so it is £25,200. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Measurement: compare profile, helix, pitch and runout results on agreed reference gears with the contractual acceptance criteria; repeat after installation.

Workholding: check mandrel fit, centring, clamping stability and probe clearance on your internal and external gear samples.

Software: run the purchased measurement modules, reopen saved results and export reports into your required format; confirm licences and backups.

Arrival and documents: inspect transport locks, probe damage and crate indicators; match machine identification to conformity and calibration documents, and check the English instructions.

What goes wrong

A demonstration on an easy external spur gear can conceal poor access to internal teeth or unsuitable fixtures for your parts. Incorrect centring, a mismatched datum or the wrong gear parameters can produce plausible reports that do not answer your inspection question. Require a witnessed trial on your own representative gears.

Transport movement and a different room environment can change results after installation. Missing software modules or licences tied to the supplier's computer can also prevent acceptance. Agree factory and site tests, environmental conditions and the payment acceptance point using the inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.