The design objective for the Model 33 was a machine that would fit into a small office space, match with other office equipment of the time and operate up to two hours per day on average. Since this machine was designed for light duty use, adjustments that Teletype made in previous teleprinters by turning screws were made by bending metal bars and levers. Many Model 33 parts were not heat treated and hardened. The base was die-cast metal, but self-tapping screws were used, along with parts that snapped together without bolting. As another cost-saving measure, the paper tape equipment was dependent on the keyboard and page printer mechanisms. Earlier Teletype machine designs, such as the Model 28 ASR, allowed the user to operate the keyboard to punch tape while transmitting a previously punched tape and to punch a tape while printing something else. Independent use of the paper tape punch and reader is not possible with the Model 33 ASR.