Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a (shaped) ceramic or glass-ceramic article, involving the steps of: (a) providing a powder or a powder mixture comprising ceramic or glass-ceramic material, (b) depositing a layer of said powder or powder mixture on a surface, (d) heating at least one region of said layer by means of an energy beam or a plurality of energy beams to a maximum temperature such that at least a part of said ceramic or glass-ceramic material in said at least one region is melted and (e) cooling said at least one region of said layer so that at least part of the material melted in step (d) is solidified, such that the layer is joined with said surface in said at least one region. The invention also relates to ceramic or glass-ceramic articles and their use.

Abstract: Welding repairs are often carried out on directionally solidified components that nevertheless do not possess the desired crystallographic surface alignment, which reduces mechanical strength. The method provided selects the direction of travel depending on the crystallographically preferred direction of the substrate such that no more misorientations occur. A laser beam may be used for remelting.

Abstract: An apparatus for generating a synthesis audio signal using a patching control signal has a first converter, a spectral domain patch generator, a high frequency reconstruction manipulator and a combiner. The first converter is configured for converting a time portion of an audio signal into a spectral representation. The spectral domain patch generator is configured for performing a plurality of different spectral domain patching algorithms, wherein each patching algorithm generates a modified spectral representation having spectral components in an upper frequency band derived from corresponding spectral components in a core frequency band of the audio signal.

Abstract: A frequency generator with a phase locked loop includes a loop filter, the transfer function of which has a pair of complex conjugated poles. The present invention provides an optimum and greatly improved compromise, in particular as opposed to the prior art, between phase noise and settling time of the phase locked loop of the frequency generator.