The process of CD/DVD manufacturing has revolutionized the way the world enjoys its entertainment audibly and visually. Before the onset of CD/DVD mass-production, more prehistoric methods, such as vinyl records, 8-track, cassette and VHS tapes were used to mass-produce music albums and movies. Now, with the introduction of CD/DVD manufacturing, we take a step into the modern world. Instead of purchasing bulky vinyl or poorly made tapes, music and movie lovers can enjoy their entertainment in the form of a small, shiny, futuristic disc that can be played in the car or in the home. How did the mass-production of CDs and DVDs become such a driving force in the world of media? What was the integral, small step that allowed us to take the giant leap into manufacturing CDs and DVDs in bulk, and in the process changed forever the way in which the world views its entertainment?
For the people who would like to learn the answers to these questions, it must first be understood that the process of manufacturing CDs and DVDs is complicated. Remarkable chemical processes combined with complex and time-consuming procedures are the ingredients that go into the formation of a disc. In examining the rise of CD/DVD technology, it is crucial to understand the process of replication. When manufacturing discs, many steps take place: glass mastering, photoresist or non-photoresist mastering, post mastering, and electroforming. The most vital step, however, in the manufacturing process 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!
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.
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. - 15790
For the people who would like to learn the answers to these questions, it must first be understood that the process of manufacturing CDs and DVDs is complicated. Remarkable chemical processes combined with complex and time-consuming procedures are the ingredients that go into the formation of a disc. In examining the rise of CD/DVD technology, it is crucial to understand the process of replication. When manufacturing discs, many steps take place: glass mastering, photoresist or non-photoresist mastering, post mastering, and electroforming. The most vital step, however, in the manufacturing process 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!
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.
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. - 15790