Which HS code applies to die casting and metal forming?
Confidence 4/5 Established practice · review by 2026-12-31
HS classification for die casting and metal forming:
Aluminium castings usually fall under 7616.99; zinc under 7907; the die itself under 8480.4x or 8207 for dies. Metal price pass-through clauses are common and should be explicit.
Sources
- Die casting tooling and unit cost ranges — Industry practice; ranges vary widely with part geometry
- Aluminium and zinc castings under HS 7616 and 7907 — World Customs Organization HS nomenclature
- Section 232 derivative tariff extensions — US Department of Commerce
What goes wrong with die casting and metal forming
- Ordering a die before confirming the design is frozen.
- Accepting "aluminium" without an alloy designation such as ADC12 or A380.
- Not agreeing how metal price movement is handled between quote and production.
- Skipping a trial run and going straight to full production from the die.
- Assuming porosity control is automatic; it depends on process and is worth specifying for pressure-tight parts.
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