Apparatus and method for compressing a stack

A press for applying a force to an object, with the object having first and second separate edges, said press including:

• a lower press plate which includes a receiving surface upon which the object is to be positioned and first and second guide members, with the receiving surface being tilted with respect to a level plane such that when the object is positioned on the receiving surface the object tends to move on the receiving surface by force of gravity such that the first edge of the object contacts the first guide member and such that the second edge of the object contacts the second guide member;
• an upper press plate, with the lower and upper press plates being moveable with respect to one another, with the upper press plate including a compressing surface which is substantially parallel with respect to the receiving surface when the press is in a first operating mode;
• and
• a drive mechanism for driving at least one of the lower and upper press plates towards one another so as to apply a compressing force to an object on the receiving surface when the press is in a compressing state and for driving at least one of the lower and upper press plates away from one another and wherein, when the press is in the compressing state, the compressing surface and the receiving surface are tilted with respect to one another in one direction in a second operating mode such that a first plane parallel to the compressing surface and a second plane parallel to the receiving surface are displaced at a first angle of at least 0.1 degrees.