The process of CD/DVD manufacturing has altered the way the world enjoys its audio and visual entertainment. Before the introduction of CD/DVD mass-production, more ancient methods, such as records, tapes and VHS were used to produce music and movies in large quantities. However, now that CD/DVD manufacturing has made its way onto the scene, those are now artifacts of the past. Music and movie enthusiasts no longer have to purchase cumbersome vinyl records or low-quality tapes to listen to their favorite songs or watch their favorite movies. With the debut of the CD, we can now enjoy this type of entertainment in the form of a small, shiny disc that can be played in a car stereo or home entertainment center. How did it come into play that the mass-production of CDs and DVDs is such a driving force in the world of entertainment? What was the turning point that made the manufacturing of CDs and DVDs possible and in the process forever changed the way in which the whole world welcomes its entertainment?
For those wanting the answer to these fascinating questions, the first point that needs to be understood is the fact that CD/DVD manufacturing is a complex process. Extraordinary chemical processes combined with intricate and time-consuming procedures are the ingredients that make up the formation of a disc. However, it is consequential to understand, when investigating the progression of CD/DVD technology, the process of replication. Many steps take place in the manufacturing of discs: glass mastering, photoresist or non-photoresist mastering, post mastering, and electroforming. Yet the most crucial step in this process is known as replication.
Replication of CDs and DVDs is the step that comes into play after the quality of the master is determined and is to be ready for replication on a large scale. This is the critical point in the process of CD/DVD manufacturing where mass-production takes place, where an album transforms its singer into a super-star. The replication of discs has allowed a new world to immerge, one, which allows music and movie lovers from New York to Tokyo to have access to the same exact CDs and DVDs. It is a process which has created a revolution in the way the world listens to and views its entertainment.
The replication process involves a few steps, and each must be understood to learn how the process works. Replication takes place in a factory using a CD molding machine. This machine uses high-temperature polycarbonate injectors to insert hot molten plastic into the mold cavities, forming a disc. Each molding can produce 900 discs per hour! Then cool water is run so that it gathers around the molding. The plastic solidifies and the molding is opened. The entire process takes only three to five seconds to complete.
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.
Thus, the process of replication is complete. The replication process has been revolutionary in ensuring the mass-production of CDs and DVDs. It has literally changed the way in which millions of music and movie lovers enjoy their entertainment. Next time you're in the music aisle of your favorite store or at the local video shop, take a moment to think about the process of replication. It has truly been instrumental in making CD/DVD manufacturing a leading force in the world. - 16928
For those wanting the answer to these fascinating questions, the first point that needs to be understood is the fact that CD/DVD manufacturing is a complex process. Extraordinary chemical processes combined with intricate and time-consuming procedures are the ingredients that make up the formation of a disc. However, it is consequential to understand, when investigating the progression of CD/DVD technology, the process of replication. Many steps take place in the manufacturing of discs: glass mastering, photoresist or non-photoresist mastering, post mastering, and electroforming. Yet the most crucial step in this process is known as replication.
Replication of CDs and DVDs is the step that comes into play after the quality of the master is determined and is to be ready for replication on a large scale. This is the critical point in the process of CD/DVD manufacturing where mass-production takes place, where an album transforms its singer into a super-star. The replication of discs has allowed a new world to immerge, one, which allows music and movie lovers from New York to Tokyo to have access to the same exact CDs and DVDs. It is a process which has created a revolution in the way the world listens to and views its entertainment.
The replication process involves a few steps, and each must be understood to learn how the process works. Replication takes place in a factory using a CD molding machine. This machine uses high-temperature polycarbonate injectors to insert hot molten plastic into the mold cavities, forming a disc. Each molding can produce 900 discs per hour! Then cool water is run so that it gathers around the molding. The plastic solidifies and the molding is opened. The entire process takes only three to five seconds to complete.
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.
Thus, the process of replication is complete. The replication process has been revolutionary in ensuring the mass-production of CDs and DVDs. It has literally changed the way in which millions of music and movie lovers enjoy their entertainment. Next time you're in the music aisle of your favorite store or at the local video shop, take a moment to think about the process of replication. It has truly been instrumental in making CD/DVD manufacturing a leading force in the world. - 16928
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