8475.10.00.00 - Machines for assembling electric or electronic lamps, tubes or flashbulbs, in glass envelopes

This HTS category, 8475.10.00.00, specifically encompasses machines designed for the automated assembly of electric or electronic lamps, tubes, or flashbulbs, where these components are enclosed within glass envelopes. These machines are crucial in the manufacturing process of a wide array of lighting and display technologies. Examples include automated assembly lines for incandescent bulbs, fluorescent tubes, halogen lamps, and electronic flash tubes used in cameras and other applications. The defining characteristic of machines in this sub-heading is their direct role in the intricate processes of putting together the constituent parts of these glass-enclosed electrical devices.

It is important to distinguish this sub-heading from its sibling, 8475.20, which covers machines for the manufacturing or hot working of glass or glassware. While both are within the broader scope of machinery for glass-related industries, 8475.10.00.00 focuses on the assembly *of* products that happen to be in glass envelopes, rather than the creation or shaping *of* the glass itself. For instance, a machine that blows glass bulbs would fall under 8475.20, whereas a machine that inserts filaments into those bulbs would be classified under 8475.10.00.00.

As a leaf node within the HTS, 8475.10.00.00 does not have further subcategories. Consequently, classification decisions within this heading will rely on the precise definition of "machines for assembling electric or electronic lamps, tubes or flashbulbs, in glass envelopes," and ensuring that the imported machinery's primary function aligns with this description. Consideration will be given to the specific operations performed by the machine, such as filament insertion, sealing of glass envelopes, exhaust and evacuation processes, and the final assembly steps leading to a completed lamp or tube.