Thanks Steve, am intrigued by the process now!
So would the machine be loaded with a punch/die for each possible character in a particular location, and then the desired one is typed from the keyboard and the machine moves the plate to the character or the character to the plate? Just trying to imagine if an error was possible when initially installing the punches/dies (wrong character, or wrong location), or only if the operator hit the wrong key? And how was the machine set up to suit the desired layout of the plate?