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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?

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.

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).

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.

Replication has been instrumental in the mass-production of CDs and DVDs. It has altered the way we listen to and view entertainment. The next time you head down to the record store to buy that hot new CD or the latest DVD release, take a moment to think about the replication process. It has truly allowed CD/DVD manufacturing to be driving force in the world of entertainment.