What is a reject system?
A reject system is an end-of-line arrangement that removes or diverts non-conforming products from a production flow. Rejection follows inspection or verification and takes the identified product out of the normal downstream path.
At a glance:
- A reject system removes or diverts products that have already been identified as non-conforming.
- In post-labelling handling, rejection can act on results from inspection, vision or code-verification checks.
- Product handling around rejection can involve spacing, orientation or alignment, conveying, transfer and stable presentation.
- Assessment covers product dimensions and stability, line speed, available footprint, existing equipment and controls, plus inspection or vision requirements.
Where does a reject system sit in a production line?
A reject system normally sits after the point where the production line determines that a product does not meet the configured acceptance criteria. Its role is to act on that result by changing the product’s path.
This keeps detection and physical handling as separate functions. Vision inspection can assess the product, while the reject system removes or diverts the item before it continues through the normal downstream process.
In a post-labelling arrangement, this means rejection belongs to the handling stage after the relevant quality check rather than forming part of the inspection function itself.
What product-handling functions surround rejection?
Product handling around rejection can include spacing, orientation or alignment, and stable presentation so each item reaches the required position consistently.
Conveying and transfer connect the reject stage with the wider production line. Upstream handling brings products to the relevant assessment point, while downstream handling moves accepted products towards the next process. The rejected product follows the alternative path defined by the handling arrangement.
What inputs help assess a reject-system application?
Application assessment starts with the product and line. It then considers footprint, existing equipment, controls, conveyor needs, and the inspection or vision requirement used to identify non-conforming product.
Product, line, and footprint inputs
Product dimensions and stability are initial considerations because they describe the item travelling through the handling sequence. Line speed provides the production-flow context, while available footprint sets the physical space for the arrangement.
Conveyor systems also need to account for how products approach the rejection point and how accepted and rejected items leave it.
Integration, controls, and inspection inputs
Existing equipment and controls need to be considered because the reject stage forms part of an operating production line.
Where identification systems, such as vision, are used to identify a non-conforming product, the reject stage needs to act on that result.
The inspection or vision requirement defines how a non-conforming product is identified before the reject system acts. Reviewing these points together keeps the assessment tied to the complete line arrangement rather than treating rejection as an isolated machine function.
Reject system and in-line inspection
An in-line inspection system evaluates configured visible features or other inspection criteria. A reject system performs a different job: it changes the path of a product after that product has been identified as non-conforming.
Code verification is also separate. It can check code quality and/or the expected value, while vision inspection can evaluate configured visible features. Rejection then provides the physical handling response to the result.
Inspection, verification and rejection can work together within integrated industrial labelling systems while remaining separate line functions.
ALS Identify automated rejection systems for production lines
ALS Identify supplies product-handling solutions for integrated end-of-line applications, including arrangements where inspection, conveying and rejection need to work together. Share your product, line sequence, footprint and integration points with the team to discuss the required handling arrangement.
