Yet another running Systainer³ charge - they redesigned the lids

[COBill]

At some point TANOS redesigned the Systainer³ lid.

The original lid, denoted on the inside lower right panel as "A 1.1" has two tabs on the sides of the handle that lock it down with a very loud, high pitched click.

The newer lid, denoted as "A 2.1," has a single tab that locks down the front edge of the handle with a lower pitched, quieter click.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Because it has a bit of spring in it, the A2.1 is far better than the other in my book. All the A1.1 systainers I have I've chiseled the catches off so they're not annoying.

 

[Cheese]

I first noticed the change about 8-9 months ago, I like it a lot better than the original. With the original version, material had to be removed from both sides of the cover so that the handle would work like it should. With the new version, just a very small amount of material needs to removed from the center tab.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I first noticed the change about 8-9 months ago, I like it a lot better than the original. With the original version, material had to be removed from both sides of the cover so that the handle would work like it should. With the new version, just a very small amount of material needs to removed from the center tab.

What a great idea. I've just been fighting with them, rather than modifying. Looks like it's Dremel time tonight.

 

[Cheese]

What a great idea. I've just been fighting with them, rather than modifying. Looks like it's Dremel time tonight.

All you need is just a sharp chisel. The early version needs 2 thin slices off each tab while the latest version just needs 1 thin slice off the central tab because there's more flex.

 

[4nthony]

I first noticed the change about 8-9 months ago, I like it a lot better than the original. With the original version, material had to be removed from both sides of the cover so that the handle would work like it should. With the new version, just a very small amount of material needs to removed from the center tab.

I've been doing the same thing using a utility knife. So many times I've tried to grab a Systainer from an awkward position under the bench and the handle won't release. Shaving these tabs off makes them much easier to grab.

 

[onocoffee]

Am I the only one reading A2.1 as being manufactured on 1/1/25? Don't these Germans take New Years Day off?!?

 

[Cheese]

Am I the only one reading A2.1 as being manufactured on 1/1/25? Don't these Germans take New Years Day off?!?

I don't know what that's all about.
The date codes used on Rev 1.1 are typically used on all injection molded products as it's a standard.
The date code used on Rev 2.1 is normal but the other LH code is weird because it goes up to 8. Eight what? Maybe it indicates the press it was run on?

FWIW...those date codes can easily be changed by turning the arrow insert with a small hex wrench once the mold is split. Here's a photo where you can see the witness line that surrounds the arrow insert.

 

[Allano]

Am I the only one reading A2.1 as being manufactured on 1/1/25? Don't these Germans take New Years Day off?!?

It is European date order, dd-mm-yy, not US date order, mm-dd-yy.

So to you, it may read as 1/1/25, but you need to switch day and month so it becomes 1/1/25.

(Running for cover.)

 

[Allano]

(Running for cover.)

On a more serious note:
The wheel to the left can't be day of month. It only goes from 1 to 8. Could it be an identification number for the injection machine, which the mould was placed in?

I checked some of my systainers, and most of them were version 2.1. My eyes were not good enough to read all the date stamps, but one of them was from February or March 24.

 

[Stevenski]

It is European date order, dd-mm-yy, not US date order, mm-dd-yy.

So to you, it may read as 1/1/25, but you need to switch day and month so it becomes 1/1/25.

(Running for cover.)

 

[wpz]

It is European date order, dd-mm-yy, not US date order, mm-dd-yy.

So to you, it may read as 1/1/25, but you need to switch day and month so it becomes 1/1/25.

(Running for cover.)

Wait, so not only do you measure distances in fractions of Smurf, but you also write the date the wrong way around???
How did you Americans ever manage to land on the moon???
(running to the nuclear bunker now)

 

[PaulMarcel]

How did you Americans ever manage to land on the moon???

Well, we did collaborate with the EU on a Venus probe once. Some measurements from our side weren't converted from McEagles and FreedomFractions to metric and the probe crashed on the surface. So there's that.

 

[luvmytoolz]

How did you Americans ever manage to land on the moon???

So are you saying the moon landing wasn't a hoax? ;-)

 

[onocoffee]

You would think that with Festool producing the A2.1 Systainer3 in January of this year that pretty much all the tool releases would come in the updated Systainer. I was at a dealer today and took a look at a few. Turns out they had a stack of MB40s in the older, but the CXS 18 with the 100th latch was the newer.

 

[luvmytoolz]

Well, we did collaborate with the EU on a Venus probe once. Some measurements from our side weren't converted from McEagles and FreedomFractions to metric and the probe crashed on the surface. So there's that.

The division I worked for some years back was developing a multi-national low earth orbit satellite communications network, and the first satellite was a sea launch by a Russian company. Literally the night before the launch one of the groups of engineers uploaded some new firmware which the other engineers hadn't been advised on, which caused a valve sensor to malfunction on launch indicating it was stuck, so it was deliberately self-destructed!

Expensive mistake!

 

[timwors]

You would think that with Festool producing the A2.1 Systainer3 in January of this year that pretty much all the tool releases would come in the updated Systainer. I was at a dealer today and took a look at a few. Turns out they had a stack of MB40s in the older, but the CXS 18 with the 100th latch was the newer.

I think the attic lid has featured the new design for a couple of years. I got one when they were first out, and remember being very pleased that it didn't make the awful snapping noise!

 

[jeffinsgf]

All you need is just a sharp chisel. The early version needs 2 thin slices off each tab while the latest version just needs 1 thin slice off the central tab because there's more flex.

Yeah, that is subtle. I did a couple at the office today. A couple little shavings was all it took to go from annoying to much more usable.

 

[Stevenski]

Out of curiosity I just checked the stainer my new DF500 R came in. As far as I know this is a quite recent release in 2025?

The handle is of the "2 pin" variety and the sustained seems to have been made in Sept 2025?




At the same time (because it was on top of the pile) I looked at my tool carrier which I bought over one year ago and it has just the single. central tab.
I also see that there is some different molding in the middle of the handle itself to facilitate sliding over the tooth (I suppose...)

 

[Coen]

Am I the only one reading A2.1 as being manufactured on 1/1/25? Don't these Germans take New Years Day off?!?

With injection molding... the cost is in the machines, the supporting energy infrastructure, the building, the molds... not so much the very few guys needed to operate them. Running them more often is just pure profit out of the same cost. If you offer enough money... there are always people willing to work. In fact, if you stop a production run... you got to clean the whole thing out which costs..

Eight what? Maybe it indicates the press it was run on?

If you have a mold with multiple chambers you might want to use a chamber number. In case you find faults in the end-product you can way easier deduce if it's random or chamber-specific and act accordingly.
Or it stands for production run number X in that month.

I think the attic lid has featured the new design for a couple of years. I got one when they were first out, and remember being very pleased that it didn't make the awful snapping noise!

Yeah that makes sense too. They came out later so they probably included known possible improvements into the mold. Removal of the two notches on the side meant adding metal back into the mold, something that isn't very popular... then when the mold wore out, the new one got the improvements too.