Sourcing ion-beam milling machines from China
Ion-beam milling machines from China under 8456 90 00 00 carry 2% UK duty, with no listed trade remedies. New machinery placed on the Great Britain market needs UKCA or CE marking, a declaration of conformity and English instructions. Cambridge China Bridge sources ion-beam milling machines.
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Duty on ion-beam milling machines
Heading 8456 covers machine tools that remove material using specified processes, including ionic beams. Ion-beam milling machines remove material from a specimen or workpiece. The table shows different milling configurations sharing the same tariff entry, rather than separate commodity codes.
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the supplied entry 8456 90 00 00 carried 2% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing measures, suspensions or import controls were listed against that entry.
Give your broker the machine specification, beam process and intended operation to confirm the commodity code. For related equipment within the heading, see electron-beam machining systems.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broad-beam ion milling machines | 8456 90 00 00 | 2% | None |
Specify the beam, vacuum and specimen stage
State whether you need broad-beam milling, cross-section preparation, thinning or focused milling. Agree the specimen materials, holder geometry, usable milling area and acceptable surface finish. Specify the ion source, beam energy and current ranges, incidence angle, stage movement and cooling needed for heat-sensitive specimens.
Identify the vacuum pumps, gauges, seals and gas connections included. Agree operating vacuum, pump-down acceptance criteria, power supply, cooling services and installation responsibilities. Request a trial on your own specimens, with recorded settings and before-and-after images.
New machinery placed on the Great Britain market must have UKCA or CE marking, a declaration of conformity and English instructions. The responsible person must compile the technical file and make it available on request. Ask for model-specific documentation and use our testing and certification service to review the evidence.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: An ion-beam milling machine for a laboratory; FOB and freight values are illustrative under 8456 90 00 00, invoiced at £38,000 free on board, with £4,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £42,000. Duty at 2% is £840. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £42,840, so it is £8,568. Import taxes total £9,408; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £840 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Beam and specimen: witness milling on your material and compare the finished surface, removal pattern and specimen damage with the agreed acceptance sample.
Vacuum and utilities: record pump-down behaviour and operating vacuum, check gas connections and cooling, and repeat the trial after unloading and reloading the specimen.
Stage and safeguards: check holder fit, tilt and rotation where fitted, chamber closure, emergency stop and the agreed interlock behaviour during a witnessed functional test.
Arrival and documents: inspect chamber fittings, pumps and transit restraints for damage; match the machine identity to its declaration and English instructions, then repeat the agreed acceptance trial after installation.
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What goes wrong
A polished demonstration specimen can hide poor results on your material. Heat damage, redeposited material, uneven removal and surface streaking can make a specimen unusable even when the machine runs. Agree an acceptance sample and record the complete milling recipe before shipment.
Vacuum leaks, damaged seals, unsuitable holders and missing pump accessories can prevent the installation from reproducing the factory trial. Record the supplied configuration, consumables and software access, and agree who handles commissioning and fault diagnosis.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on ion-beam milling machines from China?
The supplied tariff entry 8456 90 00 00 carries 2% duty, with no listed anti-dumping or countervailing measures. Confirm that entry for the exact machine.
Do ion-beam milling machines need CE or UKCA marking?
New machinery placed on the Great Britain market must be UKCA or CE marked, supplied with a declaration of conformity and accompanied by English instructions.
How should I test a Chinese ion-beam milling machine?
Use your own specimens. Record beam settings, vacuum, cooling and stage position, then compare surface finish, removal pattern and damage against the agreed acceptance sample.
What should be included with an ion-beam milling machine?
Agree pumps, gauges, specimen holders, gas fittings, cooling, software access, consumables, English instructions and commissioning support in the purchase specification.