Sourcing gear shaping machines from China

UK duty on gear shaping machines

Heading 8461 covers metal or cermet removal machine tools, including gear cutting and finishing. For a gear shaping machine, start with the gear-cutting lines, distinguished by cylindrical or other gears and numerical control. The rows show classification alternatives, not interchangeable codes. See the gear hobbing guide for the wider heading.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 24 October 2026, the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff data records no anti-dumping or countervailing duties, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines. Import VAT is separate from customs duty.

Confirm the commodity code using the machine's cutting process, gear types and control specification. Give your broker the technical description rather than relying on the supplier's translated product name.

Specify the gear and cutter clearance

Specify internal or external gears, spur or helical teeth, module range, workpiece diameter, face width and material. For internal gears and gears beside a shoulder, provide drawings showing cutter access and clearance through the cutting stroke. Ask the factory to identify the cutter, arbor and fixtures included.

Agree the required gear accuracy, measurement report and trial material. Specify the control, programme backup, electrical supply, lubrication, coolant and chip removal. Include installation, operator training and spare-parts documentation in the purchase specification.

Confirm applicable machinery supply safety, conformity marking, declaration of conformity and English instruction requirements for machines supplied to the Great Britain market with the relevant authority. CE marking remains recognised in Great Britain. Match the documents to the actual machine rather than accepting paperwork for a different model.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: a numerically controlled gear shaping machine for a small gear workshop under 8461 40 11 00, invoiced at £42,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £46,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £46,000, so it is £9,200. 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

Trial gear: cut the agreed internal or external gear using the specified material and tooling. Check tooth profile, pitch, lead and runout against the agreed drawing, and retain the measurement report.

Stroke and clamping: observe cutter clearance throughout the stroke, workpiece holding, cutter mounting and chip evacuation. Check for contact with shoulders, fixtures or the bore.

Safety and documents: check guards, interlocks and emergency stops. Match the machine identification to its declaration, English manual, wiring diagrams and supplied control.

Arrival: inspect for rust, damaged guards, loose transport restraints and coolant leaks. Check the cutter, arbor, fixtures and spares against the packing list, then repeat the trial after installation. Use the inspection guide to agree the checks.

What goes wrong

A machine may accept the quoted workpiece diameter yet lack cutter clearance for an internal gear or a shoulder. A trial on an easy external gear does not demonstrate the buyer's intended job. Require a trial matching the drawing and inspect the resulting gear.

Poor cutter mounting, workpiece runout or backlash can spoil tooth accuracy. Missing fixtures and inaccessible control backups can delay commissioning. Record the accepted tooling and settings before dispatch, secure moving assemblies for transport and compare the arrival trial with the factory report.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For machinery and equipment, see machinery imports.