Docking arrangement for an additive manufacturing process

A method of controlling the operational state of a valve arrangement associated with a container to control dispensing of material from the container to a component of an additive manufacturing process using a docking arrangement, wherein the docking arrangement comprises:

• an operating handle for controlling the operational state of the valve arrangement associated with the container to control dispensing of material from the container to the component of the additive manufacturing process, the operating handle comprising:
• a rotatable shaft coupled to the valve arrangement, the shaft being rotatable between a plurality of angular positions corresponding to one or more operational states of the valve arrangement;
• a lever operatively coupled to the shaft and configured to cause rotation of the shaft between the plurality of angular positions upon rotation of the lever;
• a rotation retention mechanism configured to retain the lever in one of a plurality of rotational positions;
• and
• an actuator engagement member extending axially outwards from the handle, wherein an actuator provided as part of the docking arrangement associated with the component is operable to act on the actuator engagement member for engaging and disengaging the rotation retention mechanism, and wherein the method comprises:
• coupling an outlet of the container to an inlet of a dock associated with the component of the additive manufacturing process;
• disengaging the rotation retention mechanism under the operation of the actuator which in use acts on the actuator engagement member, and
• rotating the lever under the operation of the actuator to open the valve arrangement to dispense material from the container to the component.