Labelling machine manufacturer Langguth relies on positioning systems from drive specialist Halstrup-Walcher to automate its systems.
20 June 2025
Thanks to the integrated PSE 325 positioning system, the set-up process was completed in around a quarter of the usual time. (Image: Halstrup-Walcher)
Labelling machine manufacturer Langguth delivers up to 120 machines of various sizes every year. Increasingly, systems with a high level of automation are in demand. Here, the company relies on positioning systems from drive specialist Halstrup-Walcher to create efficiency.
Langguth offers machine solutions for customers in the food and chemical industries in particular. Matthias Rauen, who has been responsible for the sale of adhesive, wet glue, hot melt and rotary labelling machines as well as bucket denesters for several years, currently sees great demand for automated solutions on the market. „Around 20 per cent of our customers are increasingly requesting systems with a high level of automation, Depending on the system, this can include up to 37 axis adjustment points during format adjustment. This quickly saves up to 15 minutes per set-up process.“
Matthias Rauen, authorised signatory and sales manager at Langguth GmbH, relies on the positioning systems from Halstrup-Walcher. (Image: Halstrup-Walcher)
Increased demand overseas and in the chemical industry
The company is increasingly seeing that expertise is migrating within its customers' operations and the multinational environment is therefore relying on close partnerships with suppliers. The Shortage of skilled labour and high staff turnover makes it more difficult to train machine operators. This can quickly result in high indirect costs for the end customer, as setting errors occur more frequently and this increases rejects.
Langguth's answer: the highest possible degree of automation in the machines, but one that can be selected flexibly. Automated format adjustment Using positioning systems, for example, offers the advantage that manual adjustment errors are avoided and set-up times are reduced to a minimum.
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(Image: Halstrup-Walcher)
„The automatic format adjustment reduces the workload for the machine operator, minimises the risk of rejects and significantly reduces downtimes when converting to new formats. An investment that is becoming increasingly important, not least due to the shortage of skilled labour.“
Engin Bas, Head of Technical Sales West at Halstrup-Walcher GmbH
Precision through suitable drive solutions
In the labelling systems, numerous machine axes have to be adjusted in height and width during a format change, which is made easier by automation. in a fraction of the manual set-up time otherwise required takes place. For these automation solutions, Langguth relies on products from drive specialist Halstrup-Walcher. The company, based in Kirchzarten near Freiburg, is known for its precise positioning systems, which can be easily customised to the individual requirements of machine manufacturers thanks to its comprehensive modular product range. The integrated drives offer up to ten selectable bus protocols, different performance/protection classes and designs as well as special software functionalities and can therefore be customised to suit the machine.
A special feature: The mechanical properties allow Langguth to, Flexible either handwheels or automated positioning systems in the machine. This means that modular labeller machine concepts for different levels of automation can also be implemented without any problems.
Throughput of a labelling machine for small pack sizes. (Image: Halstrup-Walcher)
Langguth has achieved an impressive result in the automation of a selfLAN 510 self-adhesive labeller. In this system, the axes have to be positioned at up to 37 adjustment points when changing to a new product format in order to accurately label different container sizes from 125 millilitres to five kilograms in capacity. A purely manual changeover using handwheels and digital displays would take even an experienced machine operator more than 15 minutes. Thanks to the use of the integrated PSE 325 drives from Halstrup-Walcher, the set-up process in about a quarter of the time, in around four minutes.
And the use of positioning systems has a second positive effect. By integrating the Halstrup-Walcher positioning systems, an increase in precision is achieved compared to manual adjustment.
The added value of automation is reflected in the sales figures. In 2024, the demand for positioning systems at Langguth has more than tripled compared to 2022. This trend towards automation is set to continue in the future.
Reliable partnerships
Customised adaptations of positioning systems are implemented by the drive specialist with series production reliability. For Langguth, for example a positioning system of the modular system mechanically adapted to optimally fulfil the needs of the machine manufacturer and its customers.
Langguth sees the advantages of Halstrup-Walcher's products in the fact that the positioning systems are very compact thanks to the integrated gears and that the hollow shaft makes it easy to retrofit and install the products. It is important to the company that its customers benefit from standardised processes, interchangeable elements and the possibility of retrofitting benefit.
Langguth has been integrating positioning systems for automatic format adjustment from Halstrup-Walcher since 2014. With the positioning systems from the PSE family, the machine manufacturer has expanded its Automated system for format adjustment and since then has implemented ever newer concepts.
packaging journal 3/2025
This article was published in packaging journal 3/2025 (June).
