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.
How exactly does replication happen? It involves several different steps, each of which are necessary to understand in learning the replication process. Replication begins in a factory in a CD molding machine. The molding machine uses high-temperature polycarbonate injectors. Each molding can produce 900 discs per hour! Hot molten plastic is poured into the mold cavities forming a disc. Then, cool water is run so that it gathers around the molding, solidifying the plastic, at which point the molding is opened. Only three to five minutes pass during this process - astonishing!
After molding is complete, a vacuum handler removes the disc and places it onto a cooling station. The disc actually contains all of its digital information at this point in the process. However, it doesn't have its reflective layer yet. The reflective layer is what ensures the disc can be played. After it is cooled, the disc passes into a chamber and undergoes the "sputtering" process. During this phase, metal is coated onto the data side of the disc (the side which does not have the record label).
Next, lacquer is coated onto the metal layer providing a surface for printing the DVD or record label. The printing ink must be compatible with the lacquer. If not, the disc may fracture and become ruined. This is also true for CD and DVD owners. Pens used to write on discs must be compatible for the same reason. This completes the replication process.
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. - 16039
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.
How exactly does replication happen? It involves several different steps, each of which are necessary to understand in learning the replication process. Replication begins in a factory in a CD molding machine. The molding machine uses high-temperature polycarbonate injectors. Each molding can produce 900 discs per hour! Hot molten plastic is poured into the mold cavities forming a disc. Then, cool water is run so that it gathers around the molding, solidifying the plastic, at which point the molding is opened. Only three to five minutes pass during this process - astonishing!
After molding is complete, a vacuum handler removes the disc and places it onto a cooling station. The disc actually contains all of its digital information at this point in the process. However, it doesn't have its reflective layer yet. The reflective layer is what ensures the disc can be played. After it is cooled, the disc passes into a chamber and undergoes the "sputtering" process. During this phase, metal is coated onto the data side of the disc (the side which does not have the record label).
Next, lacquer is coated onto the metal layer providing a surface for printing the DVD or record label. The printing ink must be compatible with the lacquer. If not, the disc may fracture and become ruined. This is also true for CD and DVD owners. Pens used to write on discs must be compatible for the same reason. This completes the replication process.
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. - 16039
