« Researching Public Records | Home | Learn How To Stop Aggressive Dog Behavior »
The CD/DVD Manufacturing Process
By DVD Guy | December 8, 2008
The process of manufacturing CDs and DVDs has changed the way in which the world looks at and listens to entertainment. Prior to the introduction of CD/DVD mass-production, less sophisticated means, such as vinyl records, tapes and VHS were used to mass-produce music and movies. But now, with the revolution of CD and DVD manufacturing, we take a step up. Music and movie fans no longer have to purchase bulky records or poorly manufactured tapes in order to listen to music or enjoy their favorite movies. With the birth of the compact disc, anyone can easily slip this small, shiny circle into their car stereo or home entertainment center for their listening and/or viewing pleasure. But how did the mass-production of CDs and DVDs become such a powerful force in the world? What was the indispensable step that made the manufacturing of CDs and DVDs possible, and in the process shaped a new mold for the way the world enjoys its entertainment?
Those interested in getting answers to these evolutionary questions, need first to understand that CD/DVD manufacturing is an intricate process. Complex and time-consuming procedures along with amazing chemical processes combine to produce the formation of a disc. It is crucial to understand, when examining the advancement of CD/DVD technology, the process of replication. Many steps are taken to manufacture discs: glass mastering, photoresist or non-photoresist mastering, post mastering, and electroforming. But the most vital step in the process of manufacturing is replication.
CD/DVD replication is the step that takes place after the quality of the master has been determined and is ensured to be ready to be replicated on a large scale. This is the crucial point in the manufacturing process where mass-production takes place; it is the turning point in which the album makes a super-star out of its singer. CD/DVD replication has created a world where listeners from New York to Tokyo can have access to the same exact CDs and DVDs. It is a process that has reinvented the way the world enjoys its movies and listens to its music.
What exactly goes into the replication process? It involves a few steps, each of which must be understood to learn how replication works. Replication begins in a factory with a CD molding machine. This machine uses exceedingly high-temperature polycarbonate injectors. Hot molten plastic is inserted into the mold cavities forming a disc. Each molding can produce 900 discs per hour! Cool water is then run so that it gathers around the molding, solidifying the plastic and the molding is then opened. This entire process takes just three to five seconds.
Next, after molding, a vacuum handler moves the disc onto a cooling station. The disc now contains all of its digital information at this point, but does not yet have the reflective layer that makes the disc playable. Then the disc passes into a chamber to undergo a process called “sputtering”. During the sputtering process, metal is coated onto the data side of the disc; the side not containing the record label.
After metallization, the disc gets a lacquer coating, providing a surface for the record or DVD label to be printed. It is imperative that the printing ink is compatible with the lacquer. This is also true when it comes to using a pen to write on a CD or DVD. If the pen ink is not compatible, the disc can fracture and become ruined.
And, presto! The process of replication is complete. Replication has opened the door for the mass-production of CDs and DVDs and in the process, changed the way the world enjoys music and movies. Take a minute to think about that the next time you head out to the video store to pick up the latest DVD release or when rummaging through titles on the CD aisle of your favorite shop. Replication has allowed CD and DVD manufacturing to become a prominent force in the world.
Related posts:
- Why buy a Standalone CD DVD Duplicator Tower ?
- How A Modern Bread Maker Makes Baking An Easy Process
- Generate More Traffic To Your Site By Getting Rid Of An Annoying Web Design
- Karaoke Singers – Practice Makes Perfect With DVD Discs
- Types Of Modifications For Custom Awards And Plaques
Topics: General Information | No Comments »