8209.00.00.60 - Of other cermets

This HTS category, 8209.00.00.60, encompasses unmounted plates, sticks, tips, and similar forms specifically manufactured from cermets, which are composite materials combining ceramic and metallic components. These articles are intended for use as cutting edges, wear-resistant elements, or other functional parts of tools and implements, but they are not yet assembled onto the tool itself. The key characteristic is the material composition, which is distinct from other materials used in similar tool components.

This classification is differentiated from its sibling category, 8209.00.00.30, which covers articles of sintered metal carbides. While both categories deal with tool tips and similar articles, the critical distinction lies in the material. Category 8209.00.00.30 is exclusively for those made from sintered metal carbides, whereas this category (8209.00.00.60) is for articles made from *other* cermets. This means if the article's composition includes both ceramic and metallic phases but is not primarily a sintered metal carbide, it would fall under this specific classification. Examples might include cermets based on aluminum oxide or silicon nitride bonded with a metallic phase.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS structure, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Therefore, the focus for classification under 8209.00.00.60 is on verifying the material composition of the unmounted tool parts. Customs officers will look for evidence that the product is made of a cermet that is not solely or primarily composed of sintered metal carbides, and that it is intended for use in the manufacturing or repair of tools.