NY 880138

November 19, 1992

CLA-2-84:S:N:N1:110 880138

CATEGORY: Classification

TARIFF NO.: 8471.20.00; 8473.30.4000; 8537.10.0050

Mr. Christopher S. Hinshaw

Rhino Sales Company

101 North Alloy Drive

Fenton, MI 48430

RE: The tariff classification of industrial workstations,

digital input/output boards, and passive backplane boards from

Taiwan

Dear Mr. Hinshaw:

In your letter dated October 27, 1992, you requested a

tariff classification ruling.

The merchandise under consideration involves two models of

industrial workstations with CRT displays, one model of an

industrial workstation with an electro-luminescent display, two

models of digital input/output boards, and three models of

passive backplane boards.

Model MWS-200 and MWS-240 are both VGA color display

industrial workstations that are basically a ruggedized personal

computer for use on a factory floor. They incorporate either a

PC/AT286 or 386 slot board processor, data-entry and function

keypads, power supply, 3.5 inch internal floppy disk drive, and a

CRT, all in one common housing.

Model MWS-290 industrial workstation is also a ruggedized

personal computer for use on a factory floor. It however

incorporates a 9 inch electro-luminescent (EL) flat-panel

display, a 3.5 inch floppy disk drive, an internal power supply,

built-in PC/AT286 or 386 slot board processor, and a keyboard,

all in one common housing.

Model MIO-240 and MIO-260 digital input/output boards are

designed to plug into the workstation units. Their function is

to act as an input/output control within a system that takes a

digital signal and tells the system whether a certain \"switch\"

should be on or off. They have either 48 or 96 channel bits, and

are software programmable for inputs/outputs.

Model MBP-220, MBP-260, and MBP-280 are passive backplane

boards that operate basically as a connector between other boards

inside of an industrial chassis. Once installed into a chassis,

other boards are plugged into its connector slots, and the

passive backplane allows signals to travel from one board to

another. The board does not contain a CPU or other discrete

components.

The applicable subheading for the three models of industrial

workstations will be 8471.20.00, Harmonized Tariff Schedule of

the United States (HTS), which provides for digital automatic

data processing machines, containing in the same housing at least

a central processing unit and an input and output unit, whether

or not combined. The duty rate will be 3.9 percent ad valorem.

The applicable subheading for the two models of digital

input/output boards will be 8473.30.4000, HTS, which provides for

parts and accessories of the machines of heading 8471, not

incorporating a cathode ray tube. The duty rate will be free.

The applicable subheading for the three models of passive

backplane boards will be 8537.10.0050, HTS, which provides for

boards, equipped with two or more apparatus of heading 8535 or

8536, for the electric control or the distribution of

electricity: For a voltage not exceeding 1,000 V\...panel boards

and distribution boards. The duty rate will be 5.3 percent ad

valorem.

Your inquiry does not provide enough information for us to

give a classification ruling on the two models of communication

boards (MCB-210 and MCB-220). Your request for a classification

ruling should include specific details on how these boards

operate, and how they communicate with other computers and

workstations. Do these boards function within the framework of a

local area network, or do they function much like a modem board

or facsimile board? Are these boards comparable in function to

network interface boards, whether token-ring, arcnet, etc. ?

This ruling is being issued under the provisions of Section

177 of the Customs Regulations (19 C.F.R. 177).

A copy of this ruling letter should be attached to the entry

documents filed at the time this merchandise is imported. If the

documents have been filed without a copy, this ruling should be

brought to the attention of the Customs officer handling the

transaction.

Sincerely,

Jean F. Maguire

Area Director

New York Seaport