CLA-2-84:S:N:Nl:105 869784
Ms. Lisa L. Cortes
Nippon Express USA Inc.
20444 S. Reeves Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90810
RE: The tariff classification of a laser beam printer from Japan
Dear Ms. Cortes:
In your letters dated November 15 and December 4, 1991, on
behalf of Marubeni Intl. Electronics you requested a tariff
classification ruling.
The Copal Laser Beam Printer Models SLB 6000 and SLB 6009
are used in electronic publishing as the output printers of
newspaper, front-end systems that prepare print copy so that
printing plates can subsequently be produced therefrom. They
typeset the copy onto plain paper. Printing the copy on the
plain paper is done by semiconductor laser with electrophotog-
raphy. The printer is driven by a controller based on a RISC
computer with Postscript or ACE type fonts. The Copal printers
will be imported without controllers.
While its technology is like that found in laser printers
used as output devices of computers, its resolution of 600 dpi is
double that of the output printers. It is clear that the
principal function of laser beam printers of this resolution is
in preparing typeset copy for printing.
The applicable subheading for the Copal Laser Beam Printer-
Models SLB Models 6000 and 6009 will be 8442.40.0000, Harmonized
Tariff Schedule of the United States (HTS), which provides for
parts of other machinery, apparatus and equipment, for type-founding or typesetting. This provision is duty-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