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Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin - Demonstration of suitcase production

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Museum suitcase production

Demonstration

The historical machines used to produce suitcases in the demonstration sessions come from a medium-sized family firm founded in 1913 that ceased production in 1981. The machines are mainly from the first half of the twentieth century and were sold to the museum for the price of scrap. The development of the museum suitcase could now begin!

Cutting and punching

Series of photographs showing a suitcase being made in the museum. Firstly cutting and punching. The left-hand photo shows the demonstrator cutting the red cardboard to size. On the right he is showing the cutter he uses to punch out the corners.

At first the cardboard has to be cut true to size. The cardboard pieces for the body of the suitcase and the lid are punched at all four corners using punchers. This is necessary so that the hard cardboard can be bent to shape

Bending

Step two: Bending the cardboard. On the left the demonstrator Manfred is feeding the flat piece of cardboard, already cut into shape, into the bending machine. On the right he is bending the fourth side into place. The lid of the suitcase is now finished.

The flat, punched and cut cardboard is converted into a hollow body. This is done using heat at a gas bending machine. The time required for bending depends on the thickness of the cardboard.

Crimping and Bending

Step three: crimping and bending the strengthener. On the left Mr Schweiss is starting to crimp the steel strip with which the wooden frame is reinforced. On the right he is showing how the steel frame is bent.

A wooden frame reinforced with metal strapping will support the suitcase lid. The strapping is bent (crimped) on one side, sawed through, and bent to fit the size of the frame.

Pressing

Step four: pressing. The finished frame is pressed firmly into the lid using the cast-iron lever press. Now it fits onto the body of the case. The right-hand photo shows a close-up.

The lever press firmly presses the open crimp (groove) against the edge of the lid. The lid now fits flush with the body of the suitcase to form the hollow body.

Nailing

Step five: nailing. The bent cardboard for the suitcase is nailed to the wooden frame on the nailing machine. This gives the suitcase the required stability.

The bent hard cardboard for the suitcase is nailed to the wooden frame using the nailing machine. This gives the suitcase the stability it needs.

Riveting

Step six: riveting. On the left Mr Schweiss is riveting together the cardboard pieces of the suitcase body, with a rivet every four centimetres. On the right he is riveting on a black leather corner piece.

The body of the suitcase nailed to the wooden frame is now riveted. The corners are riveted on first. The riveting die must be reset for every new position. Rivets have two shafts that separate to form a kind of clasp.

Finishing

Last step. On the left, we see Mr Schweiss nailing the strap into place inside. On the right the finished museum suitcase in red.

Upper and lower lock parts, handles and hinges are also riveted and nailed on. The suitcase is then lined, the belt nailed on, and finally the type plate is attached.




© 2008 Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin