Product classification

HS code for Gear cutting machine: 8461.40

Machine-tools, gear cutting, gear grinding or gear finishing machines, working by removing metal, sintered metal carbides or cermets.

Classification of gear cutting machine under HS 8461.40

A gear cutting machine is classified under HS code 8461.40. This classification falls under Chapter 84, which covers nuclear reactors, boilers, machinery, and mechanical appliances. Heading 8461 is designated for machine tools for planing, shaping, slotting, broaching, gear cutting, gear grinding, or gear finishing, working by removing metal or cermets, not elsewhere specified. The subheading 8461.40 specifically isolates machines dedicated to the production and refinement of gears. These machines operate by removing material from a metal blank to create precise gear teeth profiles. The classification applies to both manual and Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machines, as long as their primary function is the shaping or finishing of gears through subtractive manufacturing processes.

Covers
  • Gear hobbing machines
  • Gear shaping machines
  • Gear grinding machines
  • Gear broaching machines
  • Gear finishing and lapping machines
Also under 8461.40
  • Liebherr Gear Technology
  • Gleason Corporation
  • Reishauer AG
  • Klingelnberg
  • FFG Werke (Modul)

Codes often confused with 8461.40

Common mistake. Gear cutting machines are often misclassified under 8458 (lathes) or 8459 (milling machines). While a milling machine can technically cut a gear, a dedicated gear-cutting machine with specialized indexing and kinematics belongs in 8461.40. Another common error is using 8460 for gear grinding; however, 8460 is for general grinding, while 8461.40 is the specific provision for gear-related grinding. Machines that form gears by casting or forging (without metal removal) are classified elsewhere, such as 8454 or 8462.

84.58Lathes for removing metal84.59Machine-tools; (including way-type unit head machines) for drilling, boring, milling, threading or tapping by removing metal, other than lathes of heading no. 845884.60Machine-tools; for deburring, sharpening, grinding, honing, lapping, polishing or otherwise finishing metal, sintered metal carbides or cermets by means of grinding stones, abrasives or polishing products84.54Converters, ladles, ingot moulds and casting machines; of a kind used metallurgy or in metal foundries84.62Machine-tools (including presses) for working metal by forging, hammering or die forging (excluding rolling mills); machine-tools (including presses, slitting lines and cut-to-length lines) for working metal by bending, folding, straightening, flattening,

Top exporters and importers of HS 846140 (the code used for gear cutting machine), 2025

In 2025, the largest exporter of HS 846140 (the code used for gear cutting machine) in UN Comtrade data was Germany, with 55% of world exports; the largest importer in UN Comtrade data was China, with 48% of world imports. Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Figures cover everything classified under HS 846140, not only gear cutting machine.

Top exporters 2025 · share of world exports

  1. 1 Germany $603M
  2. 2 Japan $147M
  3. 3 Switzerland $127M

World total: $1.1B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

Top importers 2025 · share of world imports

  1. 1 China $544M
  2. 2 India $86M
  3. 3 Russia* ~$60M

World total: $1.1B Reported figures on UN Comtrade ↗

How these figures are built

109 countries reported 2025 trade to UN Comtrade in HS 2022, and their own totals are used. Countries marked * did not, so their figures add up what other countries recorded trading with them, and their exports are valued at buyers' CIF prices. Those estimates miss trade with other non-reporting countries, so they can be low, and a non-reporting country can rank higher than shown or be missing from the list. World totals add both and leave out trade between two non-reporting countries. Figures are in current US dollars; reported imports are mostly valued CIF and exports FOB, and exports include re-exports. The UN Comtrade links show the underlying records; they can also list a few reporters left out here (regional groups and older HS editions).

Source: UN Comtrade (United Nations Statistics Division), 2025 annual data.

Brazil NCM codes for gear cutting machine

Brazil splits HS 8461.40 into 3 NCM codes. Pick the one that matches your product:

  • 8461.40.10CNC gear cutting or finishing machines
  • 8461.40.91Gear tooth rounding machines, non-CNC
  • 8461.40.99Other non-CNC gear cutting or finishing machines

Source: Siscomex NCM table, updated Oct 2026. The Portuguese text on each NCM page is the official one.

Questions about gear cutting machine

What is the HS code for Gear cutting machine?

The HS code for Gear cutting machine is 846140 (Machine-tools; gear cutting, gear grinding or gear finishing machines, working by removing metal, sintered metal carbides or cermets). The specific HS code for gear cutting, grinding, or finishing machines is 8461.40.

How do I classify Gear cutting machine for customs?

Gear cutting machine is classified under HS code 846140 — Machine-tools; gear cutting, gear grinding or gear finishing machines, working by removing metal, sintered metal carbides or cermets. This is a 6-digit subheading level code.

Does this code include CNC gear cutters?

Yes, the classification 8461.40 covers both conventional and CNC-operated gear cutting and finishing machine tools.

Which countries are the top exporters of gear cutting machine (HS 846140)?

In 2025, the top exporters of HS 846140 (the code used for gear cutting machine) in UN Comtrade data were Germany ($603M, 55% of world exports), Japan ($147M) and Switzerland ($127M). World exports came to about $1.1B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Which countries are the top importers of gear cutting machine (HS 846140)?

In 2025, the top importers of HS 846140 (the code used for gear cutting machine) in UN Comtrade data were China ($544M, 48% of world imports), India ($86M) and Russia (about $60M). World imports came to about $1.1B, adding countries' reported figures and partner-based estimates for those that did not report (UN Comtrade data). Countries that did not report 2025 data are estimated from partner records, which can understate them.

Is the HS code for Gear cutting machine the same in all countries?

The base HS code 846140 for Gear cutting machine is internationally standardized for the first 6 digits across 200+ countries. Individual countries may add additional digits for national tariff lines and specific classifications.

What is the NCM code for gear cutting machine in Brazil?

Brazil splits HS 846140 into 3 NCM codes, so the right one for gear cutting machine depends on the product's details: 8461.40.10 (CNC gear cutting or finishing machines), 8461.40.91 (Gear tooth rounding machines, non-CNC), 8461.40.99 (Other non-CNC gear cutting or finishing machines).