Sourcing honing machines from China

Zero duty on honing machines

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 24 October 2026, honing machines for finishing metal or cermets with abrasives fall within heading 8460. The honing or lapping machine lines are 8460 40 10 00 for numerically controlled machines and 8460 40 90 00 for other machines. Both carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.

The table shows machine configurations sharing these tariff codes, rather than separate tariff subdivisions. Confirm the commodity code using the machine's process and control specification. See the grinding machines guide for the wider heading.

Specify the bore and honing process

Give the factory a part drawing, material and hardness, starting bore condition, stock allowance and required finished bore diameter. Specify roundness, cylindricity, taper, surface roughness and cross-hatch requirements where relevant. State whether the bore is blind or through, and identify interruptions, shoulders and access restrictions.

Agree vertical or horizontal layout, workholding, honing head and stone specification, expansion control, stroke adjustment, coolant filtration and gauging. Ask for a trial using your parts and agreed measuring methods, with results recorded against the drawing.

For new machinery placed on the Great Britain market, CE or UKCA marking, a declaration of conformity and instructions in English are required. Machinery compliance also includes satisfying essential health and safety requirements and carrying out the necessary conformity assessment procedures. Request documents for the exact model before shipment.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 5 numerically controlled honing machines under 8460 40 10 00, invoiced at £110,000 free on board, with £7,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £117,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £117,000, so it is £23,400. 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

Bore geometry: hone the agreed parts and measure diameter, roundness, taper and cylindricity against the drawing; repeat after installation.

Surface and tooling: inspect roughness and cross-hatch, check stone and mandrel identification, and confirm access for the agreed bore depth.

Operation and safety: check workholding, stroke settings, guards, interlocks and emergency stops; look for vibration, leaks and uncontrolled splashing.

Documents and arrival: match the machine identification to its declaration and English manual; check tooling, gauges and spares against the packing list, then inspect transport restraints and exposed surfaces.

What goes wrong

A factory trial can conceal poor repeatability if it uses easier material or a different starting bore. Unsuitable stones, excessive expansion or inadequate filtration can leave taper, scratches or an inconsistent finish. Agree the trial material and incoming bore condition before accepting results.

Poorly supported workpieces can distort during honing, while unrestrained moving assemblies can suffer in transport. Record factory acceptance results, agree packing restraints and repeat the part trial after installation. Use the quality inspection guide to plan checks.

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.