CD duplication involves burning off standard or special shape CD-R using a laser in standard CD or DVD writer drives. The'R' following the arrangement type stands for'Recordable' (As opposed to replicated discs which are known as CD ROM where the'ROM' stands for'Read-Only Memory' as these disks cannot be burnt whatsoever and are pressed at the time of manufacture).
For CD duplication at Wizbit we utilize robotic CD duplicators that can process huge numbers of CDs of all sizes quickly and efficiently. This sort of production is ideal for smaller print runs of less than 1000 disks, or where the disks are required very quickly. These discs are typically applied with photo-glossy labels which have been published in a really high quality laser printer. The laser printing process is smudge-proof and enables full color printing that's acceptable for photographs or intricate colour gradients.
Another benefit of duplicated CDs is that we're able to supply them printed, however clean, that you burn your content onto in a standard CD-RW or DVD-RW drive. This can be useful when you're sending out individual client files, or when the details that you need to put on the discs is constantly changing.
The other principal kind of CD and DVD production is referred to as CD replication and DVD replication and involves pressing the disks from a glass master. This process is utilized for higher volume disks, resulting in considerably lower unit prices for larger orders of 1000 discs or more.
Advantages:
Full color printing
Quick turnaround times (as little as 24-48 hours)
Discs can be blank for you to burn your own content onto
Cons:
Greater production costs for manufacturing runs of over 1000 disks compared to replicated CDs
When you need to make copies of compact discs, what are the most likely keywords you may search? To most people these two terms probably mean the same. But to the disk copying business there's a subtle difference. It's the point of this guide to explain the difference and help you make the decision when to use duplication and when to use replication, no matter you want CD or DVD copies.
What is CD Duplication?
With the decreasing prices on CD/DVD burners, building a disk backup is now as easy as creating a xerox copy before. CD burning or DVD burning is just another term people like to use for this way of earning disc copies.
Unless it is used on your own, a replicated disc will need to be marked or labeled somehow. You can do this in many ways.
Mark the disc with a Sharpe
This is the quick and dirty way of labeling. As you can imagine, the disc will not be quite attractive and presentable.
Print the artwork onto a die-cut paper label and attach the label to the disk.
Companies making CD labels comprise Avery, Meritline, Neato, Surething, etc.. Labels come as glossy and matte. The glossy labels are best for high resolution inkjet printers. Normally glossy tags are 3 times as expensive then the matte labels. Matte labels are great for laser printers.
Companies making CD labels comprise Avery, Meritline, Neato, Surething, etc.. Labels come as glossy and matte. The glossy labels are best for high resolution inkjet printers. Normally glossy tags are 3 times as expensive then the matte labels. Matte labels are great for laser printers.
One time a tag is printed, it is possible to peel it off and then cup into some tag applicator with the sticky side facing up. The data side of the disc is then pushed against the applicator. Air bubbles on the label have to be rubbed off instantly otherwise they are there eternally. After you print the tags, be certain that you match the paper profile for your printer. For instance, if you're using the Epson printers, then choose the ideal paper type if you print the labels. Use Plain Paper for matte labels, and use Glossy Photo Paper for glossy labels.
One drawback of using paper label on CD or DVD is the tag increases the thickness of the disc. When Philips made the CD-R and DVD-R they did stipulate the proper thickness. When combining the thickness of this CD-R or DVD-R itself with the paper label, the overall thickness will probably be thicker then the designed specifications. Even though most disk readers have the ability to re-read whenever there is mistake, this would definitely lessen the reliability. Another disadvantage, and probably the most negative one, is that the disc might got stuck in sliced load CD or DVD drives like car stereo or iMac. If your CD is music or any sound content, then try to avoid using tag labels.
Printing the artwork directly onto the disc using inkjet printer
This is by far the most preferable way of printing disk label. Epson makes inkjet printers which can print artwork directly on a disc with inkjet printable coating very reasonably priced. The benefits will be the art could be printed at very high resolutions and this eliminates the thickness issue for the paper tag. The disadvantages are the method is very slow and the disk surface is usually not water and finger printing evidence. Company such as Primera sells and markets a disc laminator which adds a thin film coating to the printable surface. Once laminated, the disc has a slick appearing and it becomes water and finger print evidence. Replicator such as New Cyberian can also apply a UV dried lacquer on top of the inkjet surface to give the glossy feel and look.
Manufactures such as Teac, Microboards, Primera, and Rimage market and market CD printers that use thermal transfer. The media for thermal also arrive in two flavor; white or silver background. The price on the press is again slightly higher than regular disk. The priciest part is the thermal film and the depreciation on this machine. Your minimal investment on the gear might starts from US$4000 for B/W and US$8000 to get a full-color unit. If you don't intend to have a big volume of disk printed differently thermal ought to be avoided.
What is CD replication?
In contrast to copying, replication is the expression used for large volume industrial disk copying. In a disc replication plant, making disc copies goes through the following phases.
Glass master is also known as the father of disc replication. A piece of glass is polished and small holes are etched on the glass surface deep into the substrate to represent the 1 of the binary material. The glass master becomes an exact replica of the first master. Considering that a glass master is too delicate to be handled, a metal stamper is made which dvd duplication can sustain the heat and pressure from your injection molding.
Stamper Assessing
As explained before, a stamper is really used in the making of the disc, not the glass master. A stamper is generally made from an aluminum plate. It is the compliment of this glass master meaning all the 1's on the glass master will become the 0's and the 0's will end up 1 on the stamper. This male/female connection between the glass master and the stamper creates the stamper the mother of the replication. When a disc is molded from the stamper the data reverse back to the original.
A disk is make by injecting molten polycarbonate on the stamper. The information on the disk will be the compliment of the stamper so they are converted back to the original as the glass master.
Sputtering
The polycarbonate discs following injection molding are all transparent. A reflective mirror coat should cover the disk so that the pits of data can be read when the laser is reflected back to the disc reader. The process of making the disk reflective is known as sputtering. Sputtering needs the transparent polycarbonate discs to be moved into the sputtering chamber that is then immediately evacuated of air and filled with argon gas. The argon ions are drawn to the aluminum target by the use of a high voltage. As the ions strike the target, particles of aluminum are ejected and are deposited onto the CD surface.
Artwork printing
Before art can be printed that the lacquer can be applied to the disk surface. The lacquer is then UV dried in several seconds. Art is then printed in addition to the translucent lacquer. There are two methods to publish the artwork; i.e. silkscreen or offset. Silkscreen printing is good for vector based graphics and offset is good for photo based graphics. If your artwork is designed using Illustrator without importing any jpg or tiff file, then the artwork is most likely vector based meaning all of the art components are represented by regular lines and shapes. Should you use Photoshop to create your layout opportunities are the art will be picture established. Offset should be utilized for photograph based art. Color matching can only be achieved on vector based images.
To replicate or to replicate?
So when should we utilize duplication and when should we use replication? With the descriptions above it will be so obvious that when time is of essence, you have not option but use duplication. The unit cost will be much higher than replication but at least you can be sure that the discs you want can be ready in 24-hrs. Another situation you should use duplication is when the volume is small. You probably won't here a professional printer to print 10 or even 100 copies unless it's absolutely necessary. By the same token, when the volume is small a duplication project will suffice. That leaves the only scenario when replication ought to be utilized; i.e. if you have sufficient time and the quantity is large, say 1,000 or more. Most CD duplication companies including New Cyberian Systems additionally take replication in the number of 500. However, when you compare the costs for 500 and 1,000, you'll observe the difference is actually not that far.