Today, reliable and efficient machines are required for the labelling of products. What matters is a combination of speed, precision and flexibility. This drove Bluhm Systeme not only developed automated labelling systems with labels, inkjet or laser, but they also relied on drylin linear bearing technology from igus.
Bluhm Systeme has been working closely with igus for five years. This was prompted by a customer request for a labeller with flexible format adjustment. What was needed was a device that can attach labels of various sizes, and whose setting width can be flexibly adapted to the product to be labelled. In search of a suitable solution for the adjustment unit, the manufacturer of labelling systems came across igus.
Andreas Koch, sales direct at Bluhm, pointed out three factors which were decisive during the decision-making process – price, reliability and the fulfilment of technical requirements. The Tamper Evident is a compact labeller used in the pharmaceutical, food and cosmetics industries to apply various sealing labels to products of different sizes.
Initially, the Bluhm team assembled the igus components for the adjustment unit, and installed them on the Tamper Evident. However, the assembly turned out to be rather time consuming, as Koch explained: “We wanted to make this process more effective and speed up the installation of the adjustment unit in Tamper Evident, so we got igus back on board.”
To simplify the process for Bluhm and reduce assembly times, igus offered a ready-to-install format adjustment unit. The production of individual labelling systems is not uncommon for Bluhm. “Igus offers individual solutions. Special product requests are very appealing to us, because it makes us even more flexible. This allows us to respond even better to the wishes of our customers,” Koch added.
The drylin linear guides give the Tamper Evident, with its adjustment unit, flexibility in the adjustment of the labeller. They are also resistant to dust and dirt, making the labeller also ideal for harsh environments. In addition, the linear guides operate without additional lubrication, since their sliding elements contain incorporated lubricants. Koch said: “This not only saves our customers maintenance time, but also costs for maintenance and lubricants.”
In addition to the service life of the dryline linear guides, the repeatability, precision and speed of the drylin components further reduces the batch change time of the Tamper Evident. Koch is convinced that these specifications pay-off for his customers, and concluded: “This labeller can attach 500 sealing labels per minute. It pays off every second that you can save in adjustment. We are already planning new projects with igus for the future, as the demand for our machines is increasing.”
