In Germany, the title of “Meisterbrief” or Master Craftsman, is a state-approved title and is the highest professional designation in crafts. Along with business and legal training, the qualification also includes theoretical and practical craft training. It also implies the capability to mentor apprentices. With these credentials, the Meister is prepared to run their own company or, alternatively, to advance in their current position.
The candidate was required to carry out a practical demonstration for his Master Craftsman's examination, which was to present a tool that cuts a sheet of DIN A5 paper into 6-cm strips and perforates them under certain tolerance specifications. Norelem provided a selection of standard components for the construction of this device.
A sheet of A5 paper is placed inside of the paper cutter from above and positioned on the movable stop.
By operating the angled bow handle, the paper can be punched and perforated. Similarly, by moving the bow handle, the stop of the paper web can be moved into different positions. After punching, the circular knife attached to the knife holder is moved and cuts off the specified paper strip. The combination of linear ball bearings and precision guide shaft is said to ensure smooth running of the knife holder.
Furthermore, the paper cutter’s secure guide is claimed to ensure that a clean cut is made. The stop can then be moved, and the paper strip falls through a recess into the base plate, where it can be collected by a container. The paper cutter’s design is expected to ensure material consistency, allowing for identical cuts to be made multiple times.
The provision of Norelem’s standard components helped support the engineer in reaching the title of master craftsman.
