Matrix side-wall milling machine, Plant No.503, made by Lanston Monotype Corporation, Salford, Redhill, Surrey, 1914. Part of the equipment used in the production system for 0.2 x 0.2-inch Monotype matrices. Mounted on bench with machine Nos.958, 289, 290 and 355.

There are 82 separate processes needed to transform a designer’s drawing (of a letter, figure, punctuation, or symbol) into a piece of Monotype metal type for printing. A pantograph is used to trace and cut the letter from a copper pattern into a piece of steel called a punch. After being hardened, the punch is driven into a piece of bronze using a crank press to produce a matrix. The finished matrix is ready to go to the Monotype Composition Caster where molten metal is pumped through a mould against the matrix to produce a piece of type.

This machine is one of many machines used in the process to make a 0.2 inch or 0.4 inch matrix.

The Type Archive has a functioning Monotype matrix workshop containing around 70 machines and pieces of equipment. It is the only one of its kind in the world and matrices are still produced for customers.