A method includes issuing a state change fluid into an internal passage of an additively manufactured article and causing the state change fluid to change from a first state having a first viscosity to a second state that is either solid or has a second viscosity that is higher than the first viscosity within the internal passage. The method can also include causing the state change fluid to change back from the second state to the first state and flushing the state change fluid from the internal passage to remove residual powder from the additively manufactured article.

Embodiments provide an electric lug loader system. An electric lug loader may include a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to a frame that extends across a flow path. The shaft assembly may have shafts arranged radially around, and parallel to, the rotational axis of the shaft assembly, clamp members arranged along each of the shafts, support members arranged radially around the rotational axis and across the flow path, and electric drives coupled to the shafts. Conveyors may be coupled with the frame and spaced apart across the flow path upstream and/or downstream of the shaft assembly. Additional drives may be coupled with the shaft assembly and the conveyors. A controller may be configured to synchronize the drives to engage successive workpieces between the clamp members and the support members and deposit the workpieces onto a lugged conveyor. Other embodiments provide related methods and systems.

Embodiments provide an electric lug loader system. An electric lug loader may include a shaft assembly rotatably mounted to a frame that extends across a flow path. The shaft assembly may have shafts arranged radially around, and parallel to, the rotational axis of the shaft assembly, clamp members arranged along each of the shafts, support members arranged radially around the rotational axis and across the flow path, and electric drives coupled to the shafts. Conveyors may be coupled with the frame and spaced apart across the flow path upstream and/or downstream of the shaft assembly. Additional drives may be coupled with the shaft assembly and the conveyors. A controller may be configured to synchronize the drives to engage successive workpieces between the clamp members and the support members and deposit the workpieces onto a lugged conveyor. Other embodiments provide related methods and systems.

A temporary placement device comprises a carrying member having a carrying surface on which a workpiece is placed and a drive device driving the carrying member. The carrying member is formed to be deformable. The drive device includes a connecting member connected to a center part of the carrying member and moving in an up-down direction. The drive device moves the connecting member between a top end position where the carrying surface of the carrying member becomes flat and a bottom end position where the carrying surface becomes recessed downward.

A system for overturning plate-shaped bodies, in particular slabs and sheets, having at least one overturn arm pivotally arranged about a pivot axis and can be brought into physical contact with a flat side of a plate-shaped body to be overturned, and at least one other overturn arm pivotally arranged about another pivot axis and can be brought into physical contact with another flat side of the plate-shaped body to be overturned. The two pivot axes are parallel to each other and mutually spaced. A permanent system is provided for overturning plate-shaped bodies with different dimensions, wherein noise generation associated with the overturning process is greatly reduced using the system. The system has at least one drivable eccentric arrangement with which a position of one of the pivot axes can be adjusted before and/or during an overturning process.

A system for overturning plate-shaped bodies, in particular slabs and sheets, having at least one overturn arm pivotally arranged about a pivot axis and can be brought into physical contact with a flat side of a plate-shaped body to be overturned, and at least one other overturn arm pivotally arranged about another pivot axis and can be brought into physical contact with another flat side of the plate-shaped body to be overturned. The two pivot axes are parallel to each other and mutually spaced. A permanent system is provided for overturning plate-shaped bodies with different dimensions, wherein noise generation associated with the overturning process is greatly reduced using the system. The system has at least one drivable eccentric arrangement with which a position of one of the pivot axes can be adjusted before and/or during an overturning process.

Fruit sorting equipment comprising interlinked carriages forming a conveyor driven in a conveying loop, each carriage having a fruit carrier attached to the carriage to pivot about a pivot axis, each carrier supporting two longitudinally spaced pairs of axially rotatable rollers that support the fruit above the carrier, and driving means to cause the rollers to axially rotate.

A system for dismantling a pallet includes a feed system configured to convey the pallet along a direction of travel. The feed system has a measuring station and a staging area. The measuring station is configured to obtain dimensions of the pallet. A saw is configured to dismantle the pallet. A manipulator includes a robotic arm. The manipulator is configured to move the pallet from the staging area to the saw for dismantling.

Provided is a container autorotation device and method. The container autorotation device comprises a conveying rack used for conveying a plurality of containers, at least one container base connected therewith and comprising a container clamping end and a driving end, and a driving component used for driving the container base to autorotate and comprising a motor and a clamping part driven by the motor. A slot matched with the driving end is formed in the clamping part such that when the driving end moves into the slot and stay, the driving end is driven by the clamping part to rotate. The slot in the clamping part is designed so that the driving end is pushed against the slot when entering the slot and rotating in the slot. Autorotation is achieved with mutual cooperation between the clamping part and the driving end.

An item transfer apparatus according to the present invention is for transferring items and comprises: a switching part for switching the front and rear surfaces or top and bottom surfaces of the items with respect to the transfer direction of the item; a transferring part for transferring the items to the switching part; and a rotating part for rotating the items while maintaining the top and bottom surfaces of the items.