Abstract: An object build area is exposed to a radiation beam, such as a laser light source, which has been processed and controlled through a grating light valve or valves, or planar light valve, to thereby melt, sinter, fuse or cure predetermined portions of the build area corresponding to the equivalent of individually controlled pixels, with rapid movement and positioning of the resulting LV application output array on the build area. The LV arrangement is adapted to also generally heat an entire powder bed, or targeted areas of the bed, to just below melting temperature.

Abstract: An object build area is exposed to a radiation beam, such as a laser light source, which has been processed and controlled through a grating light valve or valves, or planar light valve, to thereby melt, sinter, fuse or cure predetermined portions of the build area corresponding to the equivalent of individually controlled pixels, with rapid movement and positioning of the resulting LV application output array on the build area. The LV arrangement is adapted to also generally heat an entire powder bed, or targeted areas of the bed, to just below melting temperature.

Abstract: A safety device which prevents a gripping bar from being squeezed in a platen press that processes plate-like workpieces. This press comprises a fixed upper beam and a movable lower beam which is raised recurrently by a driving device. The safety device comprises a pick-up for emergency situations having the form of a cell for directly scanning the passage of the gripper bar, which cell is arranged at a point of the outlet of the gripper bar from the press. The cell will actuate a switch of an emergency braking device arranged in the drive of the lower beam. Preferably, the scanning cell is an inductive pick-up detecting the proximity of a metal mass.