Antidumping orders are defined by a scope description and a set of covered HTS subheadings, but the scope description — not the HTS code — is the controlling legal standard. Importers should obtain the full scope language from the relevant Commerce Department order and compare it against their product's specifications. When scope coverage is uncertain, a scope ruling request to Commerce is the appropriate mechanism to obtain a binding determination.

For most industrial machinery, US Customs and Border Protection applies a 'substantial transformation' test: the country of origin is where the machine underwent the last substantial transformation that gave it its essential character. Assembly operations that merely combine components without changing their fundamental nature may not constitute substantial transformation, meaning the origin — and any associated Section 301 or antidumping liability — could follow the components rather than the assembly location. A binding ruling from CBP is the most reliable way to resolve origin questions for high-value equipment.