How Punched Paper Tapes Built Factories

Before modern computers, machines were controlled by literal paper tape. Engineers used holes punched in cards to program industrial tools, a physical data storage method that paved the way for the high-tech automation we see today.

Long before digital coding, numerical control relied on mechanical readers to interpret patterns of holes on strips of paper. This system functioned as the original software, telling heavy machines exactly how to cut and shape materials. As computing power became cheaper and more accessible, these mechanical tape systems were swapped for digital processors. It is fascinating to realize that our sophisticated manufacturing robots share a direct lineage with simple hole-punching machines.