Sourcing laser microdrilling machines from China
Laser microdrilling machines from China carry 0% or 4% UK duty, depending on their principal use. For supply in Great Britain, confirm the applicable conformity marking, declaration and instruction requirements with the relevant authority. Verify hole quality on your own material before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources laser microdrilling machines.
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Duty depends on the machine's principal use
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, heading 8456 covers machine tools that remove material using laser and other specified processes. Laser microdrilling removes material to produce small holes. The table includes the laser lines and neighbouring non-laser photon-beam lines for comparison; those comparison codes do not describe laser machines.
Goods from China under 8456 11 90 00 carry 4% duty. Code 8456 11 10 00 carries 0% for machines of a kind used solely or principally to manufacture printed circuits, printed circuit assemblies, parts of heading 8517 or parts of automatic data processing machines. The supplied tariff record lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspensions or attached import controls for these lines.
Confirm the commodity code using the processing method and documented principal application. Small holes alone do not establish the electronics-specific classification. For the wider heading and an alternative drilling process, see EDM hole drilling machines.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laser machines principally for specified circuit and electronic-part manufacture | 8456 11 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other laser microdrilling machines | 8456 11 90 00 | 4% | None |
| Comparison: other photon-beam machines for specified electronic manufacture | 8456 12 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Comparison: other non-laser light or photon-beam machines | 8456 12 90 00 | 4% | None |
Specify the hole and the laser process
Give the factory your material grade, thickness and drawing. Define entrance and exit diameters, taper, roundness, position tolerance and acceptable heat-affected material. State whether holes are blind or through, and whether nearby surfaces must remain undamaged. Agree how cross-sections and blocked holes will be assessed.
Specify the laser source, wavelength, pulse duration, pulse energy, focusing optics, motion system and fixture. Ask for trials on your own material with recorded settings, measured samples and a repeat run after warm-up. Agree cooling, extraction connections, software licences, English operation screens and access to replacement optics.
The responsible person must ensure the technical file is compiled and available on request. Users must prevent or adequately control exposure to hazardous fume. Review the enclosure, interlocks and extraction arrangement through testing and certification.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: A laser microdrilling machine for a small engineering business; illustrative values under 8456 11 90 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 4% is £1,680. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £43,680, so it is £8,736. Import taxes total £10,416; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £1,680 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.
Inspection checklist
Hole geometry: measure entrance and exit diameters, taper and position against the agreed drawing; section samples to inspect recast material and internal blockage.
Repeatability: witness the agreed pattern on production material, retain the settings and samples, and compare results after warm-up and fixture reloading.
Safety and documents: check enclosure interlocks and emergency stops through an agreed safe test procedure; match the declaration, English instructions and machine identification.
Arrival condition: inspect optics, fixtures, cooling connections and transit restraints; repeat the agreed sample test after installation and compare it with the retained factory samples.
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What goes wrong
A clean entrance can hide an undersized exit, taper, recast material or an incomplete hole. Trials on thinner stock can conceal poor performance on the actual component. Require samples from the agreed material and thickness, with internal inspection where surface measurements cannot establish acceptance.
Results can change when optics become dirty, focus shifts or fixtures are reloaded. Record the process settings and acceptance method in the order. Agree commissioning, training, spare optics and support before shipment, and investigate arrival-test failures before accepting production output.
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 laser microdrilling machines from China?
The supplied tariff record gives 4% under 8456 11 90 00, or 0% under 8456 11 10 00 for the specified electronics-manufacturing uses. It lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty for either line.
Do laser microdrilling machines need CE or UKCA marking?
Check that the documentation identifies the machine being supplied.
How should I test laser-drilled microholes?
Use your production material and drawing. Measure entrance and exit geometry, hole position and repeatability. Inspect cross-sections where taper, recast material or blockage cannot be assessed from the surface.
Can a factory demonstration prove drilling performance?
Only if the material, thickness, hole pattern and acceptance checks match your order. Retain measured samples and recorded settings, then repeat the agreed test after installation.