Harmonized System
U.S. imports of Plasma Arc Machine Tools for Material Removal (HS 845640) totaled $9.4M in August 2026, imported from 18 countries.
Importers of Plasma Arc Machine Tools for Material Removal paid $290K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 3.08% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule. Plasma Arc Machine Tools for Material Removal imports of $9.4M in August 2026 ran 19% above the year-to-date monthly average of $7.9M.
Last updated: August 2026 dataPlasma arc cutting machines use a superheated ionized gas jet to sever electrically conductive metals — steel, aluminum, and stainless — at speeds and thicknesses that make them a standard tool in structural fabrication, shipbuilding, and heavy equipment manufacturing. Canada and Mexico are the leading US suppliers under this heading, a supply pattern consistent with integrated North American manufacturing under USMCA. The US schedule separates numerically controlled metalworking plasma arc tools (8456401010) from non-NC metalworking units (8456401090) and non-metalworking plasma arc applications (8456409000). CNC plasma tables are the dominant commercial form, widely used in job shops and OEM fabrication facilities.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
71 import shipments a month
Plasma arc machine tools originating in Canada or Mexico and meeting USMCA rules of origin qualify for preferential (duty-free or reduced) tariff treatment under that agreement. Importers must obtain a valid USMCA certification of origin from the producer or exporter and ensure the goods meet the applicable tariff shift or regional value content requirement. A licensed customs broker can verify whether a specific machine qualifies.
Multi-process machines present a classification challenge because they span both 845611 (laser) and 845640 (plasma arc). CBP's general rule is to classify by the machine's essential character or, if that cannot be determined, by the heading that appears last in numerical order. In practice, importers should request a binding ruling from CBP, supported by the manufacturer's specifications showing the primary cutting technology and the proportion of use in each mode.
Trade Directory
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Subheading 3 of 7 in heading 8456
Subheading 845640 · $9.4M of $101.5M
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8456401010 | Mach Tools, Plasma Arc Metal-Workng, Num Contrlld | $7.7M | 1.08% | 15.77% | $83K |
| 8456401090 | Machine Tools, Plasma Arc, Metalworking, Other | $1.1M | 11.72% | 86.99% | $135K |
| 8456409000 | Machine Tools, NESOI, O/T Metal, Plasma Arc, Process | $582K | 12.53% | 88.56% | $73K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8456401000 | Machine Tools, Etc.metal-Working Op by Plasma Arc | $1.8M |
| 8456409000 | Machine Tools, NESOI, O/T Metal, Plasma Arc, Process | $1.3M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
ImportsExports
Imports
$9.4MYoY · free account
Exports
$3.1MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $97.3M of Plasma Arc Machine Tools for Material Removal and exported $35.4M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
Imports · August 2026
origin
Canada and Germany together supply 80% of it. Philippines pays 16.0% duty; Canada 0.2%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
71.1% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 3.08% of imports for consumption.