Shipping and delivery
We ship marking machines from China to more than 60 countries. This page explains how your machine travels, who pays for what, and what to expect at your border. No surprises after you have paid.
DAP · DDPIncoterms we work to
Before we ship
A machine does not leave until it has been configured, tested and packed. Shipping is the last step, not the first.
Every unit runs a 48 to 72 hour burn-in, and every laser has its output power measured against specification. Only then does it go to the packing bay.
Standard dot peen markers are normally ready to ship in three to five working days. Standard laser markers take about seven. Automated and custom systems are quoted per project.
These are working days from cleared payment, and they exclude the Chinese New Year shutdown. More on how machines are built and tested →
Shipping methods
Which method suits you depends on machine size and how soon you need it running. We will recommend one when we quote, and you are free to choose another.
Method | Suits | Notes |
|---|---|---|
Express courierDHL, UPS, FedEx | Most standard machines, spare parts, urgent orders | Door to door, fully tracked. The carrier handles clearance. This is how the majority of our orders travel |
Air freight | Larger machines needed quickly | Airport to airport, or door to door as a consolidated air service with clearance included |
Sea freightFCL or LCL | Heavy machines, multiple units, integrated systems | Lowest cost per kilo. A full container is handled less and arrives in better condition than shared LCL cargo |
Shipments leave through Shanghai or Shenzhen, depending on the routing and the carrier.
Most single-machine orders go by express courier. Standard dot peen and laser markers are well within courier size and weight limits, so they arrive at your door like any other parcel — no forklift, no port, no broker.
Air and sea freight are for machines too large for a courier, for multi-unit orders, and for integrated systems where the crate is genuinely heavy.
Typical transit times
Figures start once the shipment leaves China. They exclude customs clearance at your end, which varies by country and by how quickly your broker files.
Destination | Express courierworking days | Air freightworking days | Sea freightcalendar days |
|---|---|---|---|
Asia | 2–4 | 3–5 | 5–12 |
North America | 3–5 | 5–8 | 15–40 |
Europe | 3–5 | 5–8 | 25–45 |
Middle East | 3–5 | 4–7 | 15–30 |
Oceania | 3–5 | 5–8 | 15–30 |
South America, Africa | 5–8 | 7–12 | 30–50 |
Courier and air freight run on working days, so a shipment leaving on a Thursday is not moving over the weekend. Sea freight is quoted in calendar days because a vessel does not stop sailing.
Very few delays happen in transit. Most happen at customs, and most of those come from missing or inconsistent paperwork.
This is why we send you the full document set before the shipment arrives, and why we would rather answer a customs question in advance than after your cargo is accruing storage charges.
Incoterms explained
Incoterms decide where our responsibility ends and yours begins. Choosing the wrong one is the most common way an otherwise good order turns into an argument.
We work to the Incoterms 2020 rules and offer the four below. Here is what each one actually means for you, in plain terms.
Delivered At Place — courier to your door
We arrange the express courier and deliver to your address. You pay import duty and taxes when the carrier presents them, usually as a single invoice after delivery.
This is how most of our machines travel. Nothing for you to arrange, no broker to appoint, and you keep visibility of exactly what the duty was.
You handle: import duty and taxesWe handle: packing, export, freight, delivery to your door
Delivered Duty Paid — everything included
We handle the whole journey including import clearance and duties, by consolidated air or sea service, and deliver to your address. One price, nothing else to arrange.
The simplest option and the most expensive, because someone has to carry the customs and duty risk. We will tell you what that costs rather than bury it in the machine price.
You handle: unloading at your siteWe handle: everything else, duties included
Free On Board — we get it onto the ship
We deliver the crated machine to Shanghai or Shenzhen, cleared for export. From the moment it is loaded, the shipment is yours.
The right choice if you already work with a freight forwarder. You will usually get a better freight rate than we can pass on, and you keep control of the schedule.
You handle: freight, insurance, import, deliveryWe handle: packing, inland transport, export clearance, loading
Ex Works — you collect from us
You arrange everything from our door onward: local transport, export clearance, freight, import, delivery.
It looks cheapest on the quote, but only makes sense if you have your own agent in China. Buyers without one often meet local handling and export charges they had not budgeted for.
You handle: everything after our doorWe handle: packing and loading
- One standard machine, no freight forwarder — DAP. Courier to your door, you settle the duty. This covers most of our orders.
- You want zero customs work — DDP. Costs more, but the number you agree is the number you pay.
- You have a forwarder, or the machine is heavy — FOB. Better freight rates and you control the schedule.
- You have your own agent in China — EXW.
If you are unsure, tell us your country and city and we will explain what each option would actually cost you before you commit.
Packing and crating
Packing is the last thing anyone thinks about and the first thing that goes wrong in transit. Every machine gets the same treatment.
- Clear film wrapProtects the finish and keeps moisture off the cabinet and control panel, which matters most on the sea leg.
- Foam paddingShaped around the machine, with extra protection on the marking head, laser source and any protruding controls.
- Plywood crateBuilt to moisture-proof standard. Larger and custom machines get a thicker crate built to their dimensions.
- Labelled and documentedShipping marks, handling symbols and a packing list on the outside, so you know what is in the crate before you open it.
Accessories, spare consumables, the dongle and printed documentation travel inside the crate in a separate sealed box, so nothing loose can move against the machine.
Documents we provide
Your broker or the courier will ask for these. We send them by email as soon as the shipment is booked, so you are never chasing paperwork while your machine sits at a border.
Document | What it is for |
|---|---|
Commercial invoice | Declared value and HS code for customs valuation |
Packing list | Contents, gross weight and dimensions of each crate |
Bill of lading or air waybill | Title and release of the shipment at destination |
Certificate of origin | Proves country of manufacture. Required in many markets and may affect your duty rate |
CE declaration of conformity | Required for entry into the European market |
FDA / CDRH accession number | Required for laser products entering the United States under 21 CFR 1040.10 |
Laser products entering the US must be registered with the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health. Customs can hold a shipment that arrives without a valid accession number.
HeatSign holds one, and it goes on your paperwork automatically. It is worth asking any supplier you are comparing us against whether they have one — a number of exporters do not, and the buyer only finds out when the machine is stuck at the border.
Duties, taxes and customs
Unless you have chosen DDP, import duties and taxes are yours. We would rather say that clearly now than have it arrive as a surprise invoice.
What we handle
- Export clearance from China
- Commercial invoice, HS code and full document set
- Documents sent before the shipment arrives
- Answering your broker's questions directly
- Import clearance and duties, if you chose DDP
What you handle
- Import duty, VAT, GST or sales tax
- Customs brokerage fees
- Port, terminal and storage charges
- Any inspection ordered by your customs authority
- Unloading, if the machine arrives crated on a pallet
Declared value
By default we declare the actual transaction value on the commercial invoice. It matches your payment record, it matches the packing list, and it is the version least likely to be questioned.
Some buyers ask us to declare a lower figure to reduce duty. We will discuss it with you, and we will only do it on your written instruction — because as the importer of record, the consequences land on you, not on us.
Four things worth weighing up:
- Customs can challenge it. Many authorities cross-check against reference price databases. Penalties, re-assessment and seizure are all possible outcomes.
- It caps your insurance claim. A machine declared at a fraction of its value pays out at that fraction if it is lost or damaged. Most policies will not pay more than the declared amount.
- It can void cover entirely. Some insurers treat a knowingly incorrect declaration as grounds to decline the whole claim.
- It affects your own accounting. The invoice value is what your books, your asset register and your depreciation schedule are built on.
If you still want a different value declared, tell us before we issue the invoice and confirm it in writing. We cannot change a declaration once a shipment has been booked.
HS codes
We put an indicative HS code on the commercial invoice. Classification depends on the exact machine and on your country's tariff schedule, so confirm it with your customs broker before the shipment arrives — the code determines your duty rate, and correcting it after arrival is slow.
Tariff rates change, sometimes quickly, and they differ by country and by classification. We will not guess at your duty rate. Tell us your country and the machine you are considering, and we will give you the declared value, gross weight, dimensions and HS code so your broker can quote you an accurate landed cost before you commit.
Cargo insurance
We arrange cargo insurance as standard on:
- DDP shipments
- Consolidated air and sea services where we manage clearance
- Any shipment of high value, regardless of the term
On EXW and FOB, the shipment becomes yours in China, and cover is your responsibility. On DAP, ask us — we can usually add insurance to a courier shipment if you want it.
For a machine of this value, insuring it is worth the small percentage either way. If you are unsure whether a particular shipment is covered, ask before it leaves rather than after.
On arrival
You get a tracking number as soon as the shipment leaves. For sea freight you also get the vessel name and estimated arrival date, and we tell you if it changes.
Before you sign
Check the packaging for damage before you sign the delivery note. Photograph anything that looks wrong — crushed corners, water marks, a broken seal — while the driver is still there.
Signing a clean delivery note for a damaged crate makes a freight claim very difficult. Ten seconds with a phone camera protects you.
Unloading
Most standard machines arrive by express courier and are delivered like any other parcel. One person can take them off the van.
Custom systems, integrated lines and larger machines travel in bigger, heavier crates that need a forklift or pallet truck. We send you the crate dimensions and gross weight in advance, so you can arrange equipment and confirm site access before the delivery date rather than on the day.
Damage or shortage
It is rare, but it happens. What matters is what you do in the first 48 hours.
- Photograph everything, before unpackingThe outside of the crate or carton, the damaged area, the shipping label, and the seal. Then photograph the machine as you unpack it.
- Note it on the delivery documentWrite the damage on the delivery note before you sign. This is the single most important step for any freight claim.
- Contact us within 48 hoursEmail info@heatsign.com or message us on WhatsApp with the photographs and your order number. We reply within 24 hours.
- We tell you where you standWhat happens next depends on who arranged the carriage. We will tell you straight away which of the situations below applies, and what we can do about it.
Who resolves what
Responsibility for transit damage follows the Incoterm. Responsibility for what went into the crate does not.
Situation | Resolved by | What happens |
|---|---|---|
Transit damage on a shipment we arrangedDAP, DDP, or freight we booked for you | HeatSign | We file the claim with the carrier or insurer and keep you updated until it is settled |
Transit damage on a shipment you arrangedEXW, FOB, or your own forwarder | You | Risk passed to you in China, so the claim sits with your carrier or insurer. We supply photographs, packing records, weights and any document your claim needs, at no charge |
Missing accessory or short shipment | HeatSign | Whichever term applies. If it left us incomplete, that is ours to fix and we ship the missing item |
Part damaged inside undamaged packaging | HeatSign | Whichever term applies. Intact outer packaging points to a packing fault on our side, not to the carrier |
This is the practical reason the term you choose is worth thinking about. Under DAP and DDP the shipment is ours until it reaches you, so a freight claim is our problem to chase.
Under EXW and FOB it becomes yours in China, and so does the claim. That is not us stepping back — it is how the term works, and it is also why we recommend insuring an EXW or FOB shipment before it leaves.
Frequently asked questions
How long will it take for my machine to arrive?
Add two numbers together: the time to get the machine ready, and the transit time.
A standard dot peen marker is ready in three to five working days and reaches most countries by courier in three to five working days after that — so roughly one and a half to two weeks door to door. A laser marker adds about two more days of preparation. Sea freight replaces the transit figure with several weeks.
Which Incoterm should I choose?
For one standard machine with no freight forwarder, DAP. The courier delivers to your door and you settle the import duty when it is presented. This is how most of our orders travel.
If you want nothing to do with customs at all, DDP. If you already work with a forwarder or the machine is heavy, FOB. EXW only makes sense if you have your own agent in China.
Does HeatSign pay the import duty?
Only under DDP. Under EXW, FOB and DAP, import duty and taxes are the buyer's responsibility. With DAP the courier normally invoices you for them after delivery. We provide the declared value, HS code and full document set so you or your broker can work them out in advance.
Can you declare a lower value on the invoice?
Our default is to declare the actual transaction value. If you want a different figure declared, we will discuss it and proceed only on your written instruction, because as importer of record the risk sits with you.
Weigh it up carefully: customs can challenge the value, any insurance claim is capped at the declared amount, and some insurers decline a claim entirely where the declaration was knowingly incorrect. Tell us before we issue the invoice — a declaration cannot be changed once the shipment is booked.
Is the shipment insured?
We arrange cargo insurance as standard on DDP shipments, on consolidated air and sea services, and on any high-value shipment. On EXW and FOB the goods become yours in China and cover is your responsibility. On DAP we can usually add insurance if you ask.
Do I need a forklift to receive the machine?
Usually not. Most standard machines ship by express courier and are delivered like any other parcel. Custom systems and larger machines travel in heavier crates and do need a forklift or pallet truck — we send the crate dimensions and gross weight in advance so you can arrange it.
What happens if the crate arrives damaged?
Photograph the damage before unpacking, note it on the delivery document before signing, and contact us within 48 hours with the photographs and your order number. Signing a clean delivery note for a damaged crate makes a freight claim very difficult.
Who resolves it follows the Incoterm. If we arranged the carriage, as with DAP and DDP, we file the claim with the carrier or insurer. If you arranged it, as with EXW and FOB, the shipment became yours in China and the claim sits with your carrier or insurer — we supply photographs, packing records and any document your claim needs.
A missing accessory, or a part damaged inside undamaged packaging, is ours whichever term applies. If it left us incomplete or badly packed, we replace it.
Do I need anything special to import a laser machine?
Into the United States, yes. Laser products must be registered with the FDA's Center for Devices and Radiological Health under 21 CFR 1040.10, and customs can hold a shipment that arrives without a valid accession number. HeatSign holds one and it appears on your paperwork. For the European market, a CE declaration of conformity is supplied.
Can you ship to a freight forwarder or consolidation warehouse in China?
Yes. Give us the address and contact details and we will deliver the crated machine there. This is common for buyers consolidating several suppliers into one container.
Do you ship during Chinese New Year?
No. Factories, freight forwarders and ports across China close for roughly two weeks, and the weeks either side are congested. If your delivery date falls near it, order early — we will tell you the cut-off when you enquire rather than after you have paid.
Want a landed cost before you commit?
Tell us the machine and your city. We will send the declared value, gross weight and dimensions, HS code and a shipping quote, so you can price the whole thing before you place an order.
01 Machine model or application
02 Delivery country and city
03 Whether you have a freight forwarder