Facit cm2-16 is a mechanical calculator produced by Facit AB, a Swedish company from åtvidaberg specialized in calculation tools and office machines. This specific specimen, which I have in the collection, has the number of 888731 series and a label indicating the facit GmbH branch in West Germany, probably dates back to the mid -1960s.
Technical characteristics of the Facit CM2-16
Prodotta tra il 1959 e il 1967, la Facit CM2-16 rappresenta un'evoluzione significativa rispetto ai modelli precedenti, adottando per la prima volta una tastiera numerica a 10 tasti invece del layout tradizionale a due file, noto come "Dalton". Questa innovazione rendeva il dispositivo più intuitivo e rapido nell'uso.
Technical specifications include:
- Keys: 10 for the entry of numbers.
- Mechanical displays:
- Product Register: 16 digits.
- Multiplier Register: 9 digits.
- Setting Register (rotor): 11 digits.
- Position indicator, on the counter register, useful for multiplication and division.
- Mechanical controls on the keyboard:
- Tab Keys: To move the position of the insert register to the left, 16 or 11 positions.
- Shift Keys: To move the position of the insert register to the left or right by 1 position.
- Mechanical controls on the left side:
- Clearing Lever of the Product Register: to reset the accumulator register to zero.
- Clearing Lever of the Multiplier Register: to reset the counter register to zero.
- Back Transfer lever: allows the reverse transfer of the number from the accumulator to the insertion register.
- Mechanical controls on the right side:
- Clearing Lever of the Setting Register: to reset the Setting Register.
- Crank: crank used to manually operate the calculation mechanism and perform addition (turning it clockwise) or subtraction (turning it counterclockwise).
- The machine is equipped with advanced interlocks to prevent operating errors, thus ensuring reliable and safe use.
- Dimensions: 240 mm width (330 mm considering the total footprint), 275 mm depth, 155 mm in height.
- Weight: 7.8 kg.
How does the Facit calculator work? Here is the video!
History of Facit AB
Facit AB is a Swedish company that has dominated the mechanical calculation machines market starting from 1922 for several decades, thanks to the quality and reliability of its products. At the beginning of the 1960s, the company had a total of 8000 employees and branches in over 100 countries.
However, with the advent of electronic calculators in the 70s, the company faced an irreversible crisis. The production of mechanical calculators ceased in 1973, marking the end of an era for this historic producer.
Facit was sold in Electrolux in 1973 and subsequently to Ericsson in 1983, starting the production of microcomputer. Despite some innovations and the use of basic language, the sector did not remain profitable and was closed in 1988. The company, divided between various owners, definitively ceased the activity in 1998.
Papers
Makes CM2-16 Service Manual (unfortunately the service manual is only in Dutch)
Date of entry into the collection: 29/11/2024