An additive manufacturing apparatus for an additive manufacturing process, the additive manufacturing apparatus comprising: an additive manufacturing assembly comprising: a build assembly having a build chamber to support one or more parts built with a powder, in a build operation of the additive manufacturing process, wherein unused powder accumulates in the build chamber during the build operation; a vacuum assembly coupled to the build chamber of the additive manufacturing assembly, the vacuum assembly comprising: one or more duct lines in flow communication with the build chamber, via one or more build chamber openings, each of the one or more duct lines having a check valve assembly comprising a_check valve and an actuator, to control a flow of the unused powder from the build chamber; a powder receptacle in flow communication with the one or more duct lines, the powder receptacle comprising one or more coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the one or more duct lines and to be reversibly attached to one or more vacuum duct lines; and a vacuum apparatus coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via the one or more vacuum duct lines, wherein the vacuum assembly pulls the unused powder from the build chamber to the powder receptacle, via the one or more duct lines, and further wherein the vacuum assembly operates to provide an automated removal of the unused powder from the build chamber into the powder receptacle, to avoid a manual removal of the unused powder from the build chamber, wherein each of the one or more vacuum duct lines has a filter element coupled at a first end of each of the one or more vacuum duct lines, and further wherein the one or more coupling members allow the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the one or more vacuum duct lines, via the filter element. an additive manufacturing assembly comprising: a build assembly having a build chamber to support one or more parts built with a powder, in a build operation of the additive manufacturing process, wherein unused powder accumulates in the build chamber during the build operation; a vacuum assembly coupled to the build chamber of the additive manufacturing assembly, the vacuum assembly comprising: one or more duct lines in flow communication with the build chamber, via one or more build chamber openings, each of the one or more duct lines having a check valve assembly comprising a_check valve and an actuator, to control a flow of the unused powder from the build chamber; a powder receptacle in flow communication with the one or more duct lines, the powder receptacle comprising one or more coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the one or more duct lines and to be reversibly attached to one or more vacuum duct lines; and a vacuum apparatus coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via the one or more vacuum duct lines, one or more duct lines in flow communication with the build chamber, via one or more build chamber openings, each of the one or more duct lines having a check valve assembly comprising a_check valve and an actuator, to control a flow of the unused powder from the build chamber; a powder receptacle in flow communication with the one or more duct lines, the powder receptacle comprising one or more coupling members allowing the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the one or more duct lines and to be reversibly attached to one or more vacuum duct lines; and a vacuum apparatus coupled to, and in flow communication with, the powder receptacle, via the one or more vacuum duct lines, wherein the vacuum assembly pulls the unused powder from the build chamber to the powder receptacle, via the one or more duct lines, and further wherein the vacuum assembly operates to provide an automated removal of the unused powder from the build chamber into the powder receptacle, to avoid a manual removal of the unused powder from the build chamber, wherein each of the one or more vacuum duct lines has a filter element coupled at a first end of each of the one or more vacuum duct lines, and further wherein the one or more coupling members allow the powder receptacle to be reversibly attached to the one or more vacuum duct lines, via the filter element.