Rasti
Rasti is a modular toy system made of plastic . It is made in Argentina today . Its origins go back to the German company Modellspielwaren Dr. Hasel & Co. in Reichartshausen / Baden. As an expandable modular system, it competes with systems such as Lego or Fischertechnik .
Structure of the system
In addition to the foundation stones, axles , gears and roof tiles form construction components that only found their way into the range of competitors much later, as well as glass fronts and transparent decorative stones. The node module, which allows technical constructions at a 90-degree angle, but is at the same time suitable for movement sequences in a kind of hinge function, is without any further example. The attachment of wheels, gears and other movement elements is done by means of axles and axle blocks. Base plates are not used.
Rasti is mistakenly viewed as an imitation by many construction kit collectors. This is due to the fact that a whole range of modular systems came onto the market at the time of its creation in the 1960s. These were often based on the competition, which is evident in the building block shapes, as well as in the model proposals and the design of the building instructions. An indication of Rasti's separate role is that this system has been making a comeback in South America since 2007, with only marginal changes.
Surname
The product name Rasti refers to the independent technology of this module program. Thanks to a nub with its thickening at the end, it snaps into the foot of the next stone, which is provided with a circumferential mounting strip and thus ensures cohesion in the most varied of positions. The Rasti models are therefore extremely stable . This goes so far that many of the construction sets made in Germany contained their own tools for separating the building blocks.
principle
The starting point is the main stone with 2 × 4 studs for the other sizes of the stones. They develop from (multiple) doubling or (simple) division. A halving in height is the protruding feature. Flat stones only need a duplicate to achieve the standard size. With the technology series of the technology box, however, an angular one-point stone in the colors white and red was introduced at the beginning of the 1970s, which is one and a half times the height. So far it is the only exception in this size grid. All special shapes such as windows, roof tiles and doors adapt to this grid system. Only with the gears are halving necessary, depending on the positioning, which can be achieved with the appropriate axle bearing blocks.
History of origin
The company in Reichartshausen still exists and continues to produce injection molded parts under the name Formtechnik Dr. Hasel GmbH.
Rasti was already being produced in Argentina under the name Knittax (a knitting machine manufacturer) in the 1960s and exported to Canada , for example . Between 1970 and 1980 the Brazilian company Hering in Blumenau held a license for production and distribution. It supplemented the range with additional parts that are still untypical today, but some of which can be integrated into the current Rasti modular system. The clock construction kit made from plastic parts, developed at the time, is particularly popular among collectors.
Packaging with individual models from Czech production shows that an attempt was made at the end of the 1990s to exploit the wage and production gap. Here the introduction of new colors began for individual stones, but also for technical components.
It is noticeable that the printing clichés from Germany were used unchanged for brochures, building instructions and sales packaging for the South American market. A few innovations made it to Germany as export products. This can be seen in the newly designed construction kits and spare parts blisters, as well as in the changed colors of the building blocks. The axles for vehicle models in particular no longer had a chrome rod, but were made entirely of plastic. Unlike in Germany, the building instructions for the South American market contained suggestions for tanks and military aircraft.
Economic influences and war events ( Falklands War ) finally meant the end for Rasti. In 2002, in the Brazilian city of Blumenau, the injection molding tools for the production of building blocks were rediscovered in an abandoned factory for musical instruments and in 2005 they were transferred to Argentina.
The local family company Dimare finally took possession of them with all rights. From this, it developed a business idea within two years, which is based on a modern interpretation of developments that have taken place in Germany. Since Dimare already had experience in selling toys (Bricky), Rasti finally returned to the Argentine stores in June 2007 in a new look. Dimare received various awards for this new product.
Since Rasti was originally more widely used in South America than competing modular systems, the reintroduction met with great interest, especially since many of the former users now want to open up this world to their offspring. Marketing includes TV advertising, game points, design competitions and a website on the Internet. Rasti has also been distributed in Chile by Dimare since summer 2010.
In August 2011 it was announced that Rasti Argentina entered into a cooperation with the North American game manufacturer Mattel . Dimare took over the distribution of Barbie in Argentina , Chile , Brazil and Uruguay . In return, Mattel added Rasti to its range.
Since the summer of 2012, a series of four car models has been available in the Rasti range under the name Hot Wheels , resulting from this collaboration. This extension is now supplemented by an additional course (Salto Infernal), in which a rubber band drives the models.
building blocks
The Rasti building blocks are made of soft plastic . This results in the flexibility that enables the typical snap-in, the basic principle of Rasti. The additional parts, on the other hand, are made of hard plastic. So also the motor housing or the luminous stones.
In terms of color, Rasti moved within a narrow framework for a long time. Red, blue, and white were reserved for the main stones. There was also gray for the technical parts. Window frames and railings were made in green; Special parts such as tires in black. In addition, there were transparent decorative stones in an extensive color scheme, which were designed to illuminate one of Rasti's own battery lamps.
At the end of the 1970s, yellow and black found their way into various building sets. Heads and movable arms for figures were added to the range of other suppliers. The concept of the last construction kits sold in Germany opened up to a broader group of consumers. So there are compilations that should appeal to girls, in that dolls' furniture and home furnishings could be reproduced. They experimented with decals and added building blocks in colors such as green or orange.
Another addition are the jumbo bricks (similar to Lego Duplo ), which, however, were of little importance. Rasti Argentina has only recently built up its own product line for toddlers with it.
For detailed model constructions, the system contains caterpillar chain links, chains with snap-in conveyor buckets, propellers , hand cranks , two-part trailer hitches and hooks, plus universally usable doors in various colors (also transparent) and roof tiles in red and white-transparent. For this alone there are ridge tiles in the range in two variants, with which every roof pitch can be realized. The stones of the roof tiles are also available in two sizes. For the connection to the main stones, white decorative panels were introduced into which the bricks can snap into place.
Rasti Argentina has so far almost exclusively modified the color scheme, with which it provides closer authenticity to the model models. In addition, special double tires for models of racing cars were added. Another innovation are hoses made of black soft plastic in two lengths that imitate hydraulic parts with a plug connection (yellow) . They can also be used to contour structures. Another addition is a black pen that dates back to Knittax times. It can be put through the knobs and used as additional stabilization. At the same time, it is suitable as a replacement for hinges .
Despite the changeable production history, all modules and additions are compatible with each other, regardless of the time and place of manufacture.
engine
The system was supplemented very early on by an electric motor. In connection with a main and intermediate gear, 18 different speeds are possible with a bandwidth from 9 to 13,500 revolutions / minute. The package “special motor” was offered, as well as the “motobox 90”. It contained the engine block, the intermediate gear, which increased the number of revolutions, and a gear, to which the two different long axles could be attached at different speeds. The bayonet lock made it possible to install it rotated by 180 degrees, which allowed additional positioning. The packages also contained a commercially available standardized switch with which the motor could be disconnected from the electricity. A suitable base was created especially for this, as well as for the lighting, to accommodate the switches. For the battery connection, Rasti relied on modules that could be plugged into the existing knobs, but also flexibly accommodate the batteries ( baby cells ) with their metal plates . However, these current-carrying sheet metal parts broke very easily in practice. Three of these battery modules were used for the maximum voltage of 4.5 volts.
A “battery box” followed that took two baby cells and went on sale as a new pack. This was supplemented by a newly developed switch, which for the first time allowed the motor to move forwards and backwards, with which the built models could now be moved in two directions. It goes without saying that all parts were provided with feet that fit into the grid of the building blocks and could therefore also be hidden. The switch was particularly suitable for directing models that were on a train to return. Later motor boxes only contained two receptacle modules for the batteries. The intermediate gear was also omitted. The plug-in connection of the individual elements was made in Germany using banana plugs , as they are known from the model railroad sector.
Since 2010, Rasti Argentina has been making increasing use of this development. Under “Con motro” there are five motorized kits available for numerous models. The plug connections are much simpler than in Germany at the time.
Construction sets
The packaging produced in the early 1960s was made of cardboard. Around 1970 they received a styrofoam insert. Special models were offered in cardboard boxes without dividers but with sealed plastic bags. For spare parts and additional parts there was blister packs, later plastic bags with a four-color printed cardboard tab that showed the functionality or suggested models.
The designation of the construction kits was based on the number of components contained. The "Box 400" consisted almost entirely of foundation stones. This was followed by Minibox 600, Multibox 800 and Starbox 1000. Model packs were given the names Mobil 200 (trucks), 201 (Jeep), 202 (tractor / tipper), 203 (tracked vehicles) and 204 (aircraft). There was also the technology box 501 (bridge / crane) and 502 (caterpillar vehicles), as well as Motobox 90. The technology kit, the house kit and the special motor were sold specifically through the Quelle mail order company . Towards the end of sales in Germany, small and large boxes such as Rasti 1023 (construction site vehicles) or 1085 (dollhouse furnishings) came on the market.
Under the aegis of Hering, this classification remained largely unchanged. Rasti Argentina today knows the Start, Giga, Super and Master boxes. The sorting is based on the baseline, transport and construction. Particularly noteworthy is the Extrema line, which takes a new path and contains dinosaur sets that are based on the sauropods discovered in South America . It has now been removed from the range. In 2010 the engine was the focus of the expansion of the product range. Four special packs with new models that are electrically powered have been part of the range since then.
characters
The Rasti system was expanded in the late period in Germany with figural heads. They consisted of yellow balls with a neck and clicked into place between the knobs of the building blocks. The face of the heads was screen printed with black paint. They also received a removable attachment that imitated hair in several colors. Arm attachments with a total of three joints have been added for further mobility. According to the instructions for the construction kits, this figure's head was stored in gray axle blocks. However, these only had four knobs, contrary to the half-height eight-knob stones that had been sold up to now. The lower body of the figures could be designed freely. To this day, this new development has not been expanded. This, especially as the four-nub jewels that were used here for the joints of the figures, would have allowed an expansion of the installation options for axes through the central alignment.
Awards
In the 1970s, Rasti received the title “ play well ” from the Working Committee for Children's Games and Toys in Germany .
Fan clubs
In Argentina, a fan club is active under Republica Rasti, which exchanges information independently of the manufacturer's sides.
Trivia
The name of the Rasti-Land near Benstorf, southwest of Hanover, opened in 1973 , refers to the building blocks. In the early years there was a safari attraction made from Rasti stones, as well as a replica of Hameln's old town. Missing building blocks ultimately caused the Rasti replicas to disappear in the park.
The following proverbs underline the importance of Rasti in Argentina:
- “ Lo vas armando como un Rasti ” (you can build it like Rasti).
- “ Se desarmó como un Rasti ” (It broke like Rasti).
logo
The Rasti logo has remained almost unchanged over the decades. The font still appears in yellow today. The former rectangular block that surrounded the lettering was laid out in black, changed temporarily to red during the phase out in Germany and was converted into a three-dimensional black circle in Argentina.
The lettering has its origins in the science fiction series " Raumpatrouille ", which was broadcast on the first program of German television ( ARD ) from 1965 . The font used for this has been used throughout the building instructions and packaging.
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ ft-hasel.de
- ↑ dimare.com.ar
- ↑ rasti.com.ar
- ^ Report in the Argentine business newspaper iEco from August 18, 2011; http://www.ieco.clarin.com/empresas/Mattel-exportara-Rastis-traer-Barbies_0_538146233.html