Sourcing gear shaving machines from China

Duty and the gear-finishing classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 24 October 2026, heading 8461 covers machine tools removing metal or cermets, including gear finishing. Its gear-finishing lines carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff facts record no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls.

For gear shaving, distinguish numerically controlled and other machines with qualifying micrometric adjustment from other gear-finishing machines. The adjustment category requires positioning in any axis to an accuracy of at least 0,01 mm. Ask for technical evidence of that capability. The gear-cutting row is a process comparison, not a default code for shaving.

Confirm the commodity code using the actual process, control system and adjustment specification. For the wider heading, see gear shaping machines. The import duty and VAT guide explains the separate tax calculation.

Specify the shaving process and cutter

State the shaving method, gear material and condition, module range, outside diameter, face width, helix angle and available clearance around shoulders. Agree cutter dimensions, mounting interface, workholding, support between centres and the adjustment needed for your gear family.

Define the tooth profile, lead, pitch and surface finish to be demonstrated on your own test gears. Include the control model, electrical supply, coolant arrangement, cutter sharpening plan, spare tooling and access for maintenance. Ask the factory to identify what is included in the quoted machine.

New machines placed on the Great Britain market must satisfy the essential health and safety requirements and undergo the necessary conformity assessment. They must have CE or UKCA marking, a declaration of conformity and instructions in English. Review the documents for the exact machine before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A numerically controlled gear shaving machine with qualifying micrometric adjustment, illustrative under 8461 40 71 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 gears: run the agreed material and cutter, measure tooth profile, lead and pitch, and record surface finish and repeatability. Repeat the agreed trial after installation.

Tooling and movement: check cutter mounting, spindle runout, workholding, backlash and adjustment repeatability. Confirm that the delivered cutter and fixtures match the trial setup.

Safety and documents: test guards, interlocks and emergency stops through a safe agreed procedure. Match the machine identity to its declaration, marking, English manual and wiring diagrams.

Arrival condition: inspect corrosion protection, transit locks, bracing, coolant connections and loose accessories before commissioning. Photograph damage and compare the delivery with the packing list. Use the inspection guide to organise the records.

What goes wrong

A demonstration gear can pass while the buyer's gear fails because the cutter geometry, material condition or shoulder clearance differs. Poor workholding and inconsistent adjustment can produce uneven tooth contact or variation between parts. Agree the test gear and measuring method before ordering.

Transport movement can disturb alignment, while missing cutter data or control backups can delay commissioning. Retain the factory trial results, tooling details and parameter backups, then compare them with the installed machine. Factory verification can check the builder's assembly and measurement capability.

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.