Definition
A keypunch machine was a data entry device that produced punched cards, which enabled people to input data into early computers.
It had a keyboard and a technique of perforating holes in cards at certain places to represent letters and numbers.
Their use declined in the 1960s as computers became more advanced and affordable. Also, disk storage and magnetic tapes gradually started displacing punched cards as storage means, and new hardware input devices such as the keyboard and the mouse became widespread.
Moreover, introducing personal computers and graphical user interfaces enabled users to input data directly into the computers, making keypunch machines obsolete.
How Does a Keypunch Machine Work?
A keypunch machine encodes data by punching holes into a card when a keyboard presses a key. The computer then reads the punched card and deciphers the pattern of holes as data. Keypunch machines were used to feed data into mainframe computers and store it for future processing.