CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:110 811776

Mr. John M. Peterson
Neville, Peterson & Williams
80 Broad Street, 34th Floor
New York, N.Y. 10004

RE: The tariff classification of a multifunction laser printer from Japan.

Dear Mr. Peterson:

In your letter dated June 9, 1995, on behalf of Xerox Corporation, you requested a tariff classification ruling.

The merchandise under consideration involves a mulit- functional ADP laser network printer which is known as the "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer. In its imported condition, the "Concorde" will be a stand-alone unit featuring a laser print engine, digital copier, scanner, and facsimile machine. The "Concorde" weighs 246 pounds and measures 30 by 25 by 41 inches. It has serial and parallel ports to permit computer connectivity, a scanner to permit the unit to perform digital copying, and employs facsimile capability. The unit will feature a standard 500 sheet paper tray and has a 4 MegaByte memory kit.

The "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer has a printing speed of 20 pages per minute, when 8« by 11 inch paper is used. When larger paper is used, the print speed is slower. The machine's output speed on most printing jobs will be less than 20 pages per minute. The "Concorde" laser printer will be imported without an installed printer cartridge. The printer cartridge will be imported in a separate package that is overpacked with the "Concorde" assembly. The toner cartridge consists of three major assemblies: (1) the electrostatic photography cartridge unit, an assembly consisting of a coated aluminum photoreceptor and a cartridge containing 700 grams of toner, (2) a transfer corotron and (3) a cleaning felt. The cartridge contains the print mechanism for the "Concorde" printer.

The "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer is capable of making digital copies without being connected to an automatic data processing (ADP) machine. However, the machine's copying and facsimile capabilities are most efficiently used when this device is used in conjunction with an ADP machine. This multifunctional laser printer also maintains the capacity for scanning and facsimile functions. The "Concorde's" raster scanner will scan documents at a speed of 20 pages per minute, with a resolution of 400 by 400 dpi. The scanner features a stationary platen. The "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer is capable of functioning as an output device in a variety of Local Area Network (LAN) environments. It can also generate fax transmissions using LAN systems, for example by "broadcasting" faxed documents to multiple locations.

This "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer is a composite machine that appears to have the "essential character" of a printer, noting GRI-3(b). It is noted that similar multifunctional printers were the subject of NY Ruling Letters 897228, 804946, and 805805. The "Concorde" multifunctional printer also meets the definition of a "unit", as noted in Legal Note 5(B) of Chapter 84 HTS. The applicable subheading for the "Concorde" multifunctional laser printer will be 8471.92.5600, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for other laser printers. The rate of duty will be free.

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section 177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the transaction.

Sincerely,

Jean F. Maguire
Area Director
New York Seaport