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.

A palletizing system capable of conserving space in an area for buffer conveyors. The palletizing system includes a supply conveyor for conveying a first type of article and a second type of article, a type detection sensor for detecting the type of the article, a first buffer conveyor for conveying the first type of article, a second buffer conveyor for conveying the second type of article, which is disposed above the first buffer conveyor, a sorting robot which places the first type of article on the first buffer conveyor and which places the second type of article on the second buffer conveyor, and a loading robot which removes articles from the first buffer conveyor and the second buffer conveyor, to load the articles on a pallet.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.

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.

An automated storage and retrieval system includes a storage array of storage locations for case units. An in-out case conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting case units to and from the storage array, and an in-out loaded pallet conveyor is capable of bi-directionally transporting loaded pallets towards and away from the storage array. A palletizer-depalletizer cell includes a bi-directional pallet transport system with more than one independently driven pallet transports, each with a different pallet holder independently movable relative to a cell frame. Placement of case units commissioning a pallet layer loading a pallet, and removal of case units decommissioning a pallet layer unloading another pallet are both effected at the common pallet layer interface at a predetermined level of the cell frame. The pallet transports independently index a first and a second of the different pallet holders, each independently holding the pallet loading at the common pallet layer interface.

A palletizing installation comprising two palletizing devices (10, 20) and a linear common feed conveyor (1). Each palletizing device has a stationary mounted shutter device (22) and a pallet lifter (26). A stationary mounted row formation platform (28) is present to form thereon a row of products, which platform has a lateral side that extends adjacent a lateral side of the common feed conveyor. Each palletizing device comprises a product row transfer mechanism (30) that is adapted to slide a row of products from the row formation platform onto the layer formation surface of the shutter device in closed state. The installation further comprises a product ejector system and one or more product ejector devices (41) which are adapted to eject a product from the common feed conveyor such that the product moves onto a selected product location of said at least two row formation platforms.

Equipment for stacking and arranging items according to a predetermined order on a platform includes at least: one conveyor belt extending along a feed direction; one plurality of rollers arranged transversely to the feed direction; the conveyor belt being combined with the rollers so that rotation of the rollers in a way causes rotation of the conveyor belt in the same way; one first roller of the plurality of rollers being driven by a motor for driving the rotation of the conveyor belt; one transmission assembly for transmitting the motion from the motor to the driven roller; the conveyor belt including at least a first central and at least two side portions opposed with respect to the central portion; the central portion moving at a speed v1 along the feed direction, the first side portion moving at a speed v2 along the feed direction; and v2>v1.

A palletizing system capable of conserving space in an area for buffer conveyors. The palletizing system includes a supply conveyor for conveying a first type of article and a second type of article, a type detection sensor for detecting the type of the article, a first buffer conveyor for conveying the first type of article, a second buffer conveyor for conveying the second type of article, which is disposed above the first buffer conveyor, a sorting robot which places the first type of article on the first buffer conveyor and which places the second type of article on the second buffer conveyor, and a loading robot which removes articles from the first buffer conveyor and the second buffer conveyor, to load the articles on a pallet.

An apparatus for reorienting and/or stacking products includes a frame and a telescopic infeed associated with the frame. The telescopic infeed has a receiving end and a transfer end. The transfer end is disposed at a first elevation and moveable in a machine direction and in a reverse machine direction. The telescopic infeed advances one or more products in the machine direction; and a landing surface receives the one or more products. The landing surface is disposed in a landing region proximate to the transfer end and at a second elevation. The first elevation is higher than the second elevation. A deflector is operatively engageable with the transfer end, such that the deflector is capable of deflecting a leading end of at least one of the one of more products.

A device for automatically stacking packages on an intermediate plate in a predetermined spatial arrangement for forming a stack, comprising at least one feed conveyor which arranges the individual packages in a predetermined order; a lifting and lowering unit for lifting and lowering the intermediate plate; a sliding plate and a pusher, in order to transport the packages in the Z-direction to the predetermined position in the stack, and with the intermediate plate comprising two partially displaceable plates.