CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:103 803620
Ms. Pamela Weisberg
Nichimen America Inc.
1185 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036
RE: The tariff classification of a ticket production unit from Japan
Dear Ms. Weisberg:
In your letter dated September 28, 1994 you requested a tariff
classification ruling.
The FTU-1000C "Face in Ticket" unit is used to produce a printed ticket
which also contains a picture of an individual. It is intended for use by,
for example, ski lift or transit system operators to produce ski lift or
transit tickets containing a portrait of the ticket purchaser and the length
of time the ticket can be used.
The FTU-1000C consists of a free-standing booth, one side of which
contains a housing behind which are mounted a CCD video camera, a thermal
printer with a resolution of 200 dots per inch, a magnetic card reader, a
controller, and various alarm and indicator lights. Initially, a prepaid
magnetic card which has been encoded with the amount paid and other
information in a separate Sales Management Unit is issued to an individual.
The individual then enters the FTU-1000C ticket production booth and inserts
the magnetic card into a slot in the front panel of the housing. The
individual's picture is taken, electronically processed, and printed onto
special heat-sensitive paper along with text previously stored in a Read Only
Memory (ROM) module within the unit. The paper, which is in the form of a
continuous roll, is then cut and the resulting ticket exits through an outlet
slot. It takes about 5 seconds from the time the picture is taken to produce
the printed ticket. Inserted prepaid cards are stored in a card box inside
the FTU-1000C; when the card box is full, the housing can be opened and the
cards retrieved for re-use. A counter within the housing records the number
of tickets produced, while lights and a buzzer signal when the unit is
operational or if a malfunction has occurred. The printed textual matter can
be changed by simply replacing the ROM module.
In addition to the prepaid cards, the system also utilizes management
and system ID cards. The management card can be inserted into the card slot
and data from the counter encoded onto the card. The management card can then
be re-inserted into the Sales Management Unit which allows the data to be
displayed on a video screen or printed. The system registration ID card
contains the system ID code and is used to set up the FTU-1000C with the date,
time, length of video photo period, and other data.
The applicable subheading for the FTU-1000C "Face in Ticket" production
unit will be 8476.19.0000, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States
(HTS), which provides for other automatic goods-vending machines. The rate of
duty will be 3.9 percent ad valorem. In the absence of detailed information
describing the Sales Management Unit and its method of operation, we are
unable to provide a ruling as to its tariff classification.
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