8483.40.10.00 - Torque converters 🖩

This category specifically covers torque converters, which are mechanical devices used to transmit rotating mechanical power, from a power source to mechanical equipment. They are commonly found in automatic transmissions of vehicles and other industrial machinery, serving to increase torque from a driving element to a driven element. Unlike other components within heading 8483 that focus on direct power transmission through gears or screws, torque converters employ fluid (typically oil) to transfer power, allowing for a variable ratio between input and output speeds and torque.

Within the broader scope of machinery and mechanical appliances (Section XVI), heading 8483 encompasses a variety of power transmission elements. While this particular subheading (8483.40.10.00) isolates torque converters, its siblings address different, though related, transmission components. Sibling category 8483.40.80.00 covers ball or roller screws, which utilize rolling elements for precise linear motion. Another sibling, 8483.40.90.00, pertains to gears and gearing that are not considered toothed wheels, chain sprockets, or other separately entered transmission elements. Finally, the sibling "Gear boxes and other speed changers" covers a wider array of devices that alter speed and torque, often incorporating torque converters as a component.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. Classification under 8483.40.10.00 is therefore contingent on the item being exclusively identifiable as a torque converter, as distinct from the broader categories of gear boxes, speed changers, or other power transmission mechanisms. The primary function and design, employing a fluid coupling for torque multiplication and slippage, are key determinative factors for classification within this specific subheading.