9031.49.10.00 - Profile projectors

This HTS category, 9031.49.10.00, specifically classifies "profile projectors." These are optical instruments designed for precise measurement and inspection of the profiles of manufactured parts. Profile projectors work by illuminating an object and projecting a magnified silhouette onto a screen, allowing for the accurate comparison of the projected image against a master drawing or template. They are indispensable tools in quality control processes for verifying dimensions, angles, and contours of intricate components, particularly in industries such as manufacturing, machining, and engineering.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings, 9031.49.40.00 covers coordinate-measuring machines, which employ probes to determine the geometric relationship of points on a surface. 9031.49.70.00 is reserved for specialized optical inspection equipment for semiconductor manufacturing and surface particulate contamination measurement. Finally, 9031.49.90.00 encompasses all other optical instruments and appliances not otherwise specified. Therefore, 9031.49.10.00 is exclusively for instruments that utilize projection of a magnified silhouette for profile analysis.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS structure, there are no further subcategories. Classification within this code is solely based on the instrument's function as a profile projector, as defined by its optical projection system and its primary use in measuring and inspecting the outlines of objects.