[GuentherParticipant]

In the early years many blocks were created in a special outline to solve any upcoming idea, for example different heights, clear covers (with / without schematic print), different contacts (e.g. Demo blocks with 3 or 4 contacts only),  the two motor blocks and  the very special battery block with 7 contacts for 6 x AA size (Mignon) with taps for each 1.5V single battery. Many of these about 10 block formats were prototypes, but about 9 versions are still available for own developments.

In this photo the 6 x 1.5V block the white cover is a replicated version of mine, printed with a hand-written drawing of M. Guerth. This block was used in several proposals of him introducing the use of (the first) commercial ICs like TAA151 in AF amplifiers.

The 27x27mm blocks with 4 contacts and medium height was used for power pots, control bulbs etc.

The TAA151 block with clear (and white) cover is a reconstruction of mine and can be found in my Card File.

Blocks with a clear cover (27×54 and 81×81 mm) : there is until now no clear explanation for the production (and applications) around 1970 – but I used the 27×54 mm covers for my pencil tube experiments – I can see the filament glow while the tube(s) are working, so the feeling of former decades are present again!

We can state today that this activities where quite innovative but extremely expensive – that may be one of many reasons that the “change” in 1972 was the last possibility for a concentration of the real and most important things…

Best,

Guenther

[MichaelKeymaster]

Hi Guenther,

This is a great bit of history, thank you.

Please help me understand what you mean by the ‘change’ of 1972.  The transition of Braun to Lectron, GmbH?  

What does “was the last possibility for a concentration of the real and most important things” mean?  We had the great rebirth of 2001 with the Schrank-Von Seelen-Kopperschmidt era.

Best regards,
Michael

[GuentherParticipant]

Yes – transition in 1972, but why? The costs for molds (prototypes!), production, marketing etc. were to high: not enough revenue to get earnings for the new owner – to name a few problems…

“Concentrations” etc. means: LEAN PRODUCTION – less forms, less variations, less experiments with non-Lectron units, like the TRIAX project.

That has nothing to do with the RWO – that was a cost-free support of Mr. and Mrs. Kopperschmidt for nearly 20 years, but with huge inactivity of RWO (…”they had to be carried in a litter to the hunt…”) that’s the truth!

Best,

Guenther

[MichaelKeymaster]

Hi Günther,

Yes, Mr. Walter needed to have other product lines to sell to help with revenue including the Triax unit.  

We certainly saw what happened during the later MW years with the lack of needed funding.  Mr. Walter could not even pay Mr. Birett the money that was owed for the Funktionsmodelle model development and had to given him an XY plotter to settle the account.

I still believe that were it not for Mssrs. Schrank-Von Seelen-Kopperschmidt, the Lectron System would have passed into oblivion back in 2001.  

Best,
Michael

[Author]

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