Past Tense

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.