8445.11.00.00 - Carding machines

This HTS category, 8445.11.00.00, specifically covers carding machines. These machines are integral to the initial stages of textile manufacturing, designed to disentangle, clean, and partially align staple fibers. The primary function of a carding machine is to process raw textile fibers, such as cotton, wool, or synthetic staples, into a uniform sliver, which is a continuous strand of fibers that is the precursor to yarn. This process involves the use of revolving cylinders covered with fine wire teeth or cards that comb and separate the fibers.

Carding machines are distinct from their sibling categories within heading 8445.1. Specifically, they differ from combing machines (8445.12.00.00), which further refine the sliver by removing shorter fibers and aligning the longer ones for high-quality yarn production. Drawing and roving machines (8445.13.00.00) are subsequent processes that further draw out and slightly twist the sliver to create a roving, which is a more attenuated and preparatory strand for spinning. This category encompasses only those machines whose primary action is carding, distinguishing them from machines performing subsequent fiber preparation steps.

As a leaf node, this classification does not have further subdivisions. Therefore, the focus for classification within 8445.11.00.00 rests on identifying machines whose core operational function is the carding of textile fibers to produce a sliver. This includes various types of carding engines, such as roller cards, flat cards, and licker-in machines, as long as their primary purpose and design align with the carding process described.