A powder spreading apparatus includes a hopper having a first end, a second end opposite from the first end, a front wall, a rear wall opposite from the front wall, and a floor. The front wall, the rear wall, the first end, the second end, and the floor define an interior. An impeller is disposed within the interior of the hopper. The impeller includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced flutes and is configured to rotate about an impeller axis that extends from the first end of the hopper to the second end of the hopper to deposit powder onto a print area. A spreader rod is coupled to the hopper and extends along a spreader rod axis parallel to the impeller axis. The spreader rod is configured to rotate about the spreader rod axis to smooth the powder as it is deposited onto the print area. A powder spreading method is disclosed that operates an impeller to start depositing powder from a hopper into a print area located within a build box as a gantry moves the hopper in a first direction across the print area; operating a spreader rod to smooth out the powder on the print area as the gantry moves the hopper and the spreader rod across the print area in the first direction; and upon the gantry reaching a predetermined position in the print area, stopping the impeller to stop depositing the powder while continuing to operate the spreader rod.

A conveyor run for moving goods to two or more destinations can be used to move a first fraction of the goods to a first destination and a second fraction of the goods to another destination. A drive motor coupled to a conveyor portion is reversible to enable the conveyor run to move goods in either direction along the conveyor run. An adjustable gate includes a rotatable sleeve with an opening that is positionable relative to conveyor portions between which the adjustable gate is connected. The rotatable sleeve rotates relative to the adjacent conveyor portions to position the opening to set the fraction of the goods that pass from an upstream conveyor portion to the downstream conveyor portion and to set the fraction of the goods that drop from the conveyor run through the opening.

A doser mechanism includes a cylindrical shell, an auger conveyor, and a check valve. The cylindrical shell includes a hollow cylinder and an end plate. The hollow cylinder at least partially defines an internal enclosure extending between first and second ends of the hollow cylinder, a first opening at the first end, and a second opening through a thickness of the hollow cylinder. The end plate covers the second end. The auger conveyor includes an auger at least partially extending through the internal enclosure through the first end. The check valve has a valve member configured to selectively cover the second opening. The check valve may cause the valve member to move between a rest position and an open position to cover or expose the second opening in response to a magnitude of a force applied to the valve member from the internal enclosure through the second opening.

A pallet assembly including an overhead conveyor system having a conveyor platform and a push rail, a loading assembly, a stacking assembly, and a release assembly. The loading assembly provides a pallet to the overhead conveyor system. The stacking assembly is located below the conveyor platform and includes a first chute, a first movable floor, and a first height adjustment mechanism. The release assembly, which is coupled to a portion of the conveyor platform, includes a portion selectively configured to release a pallet into a first chute.