CD Services We Provide
CD-R Duplication
CD-R duplication is where the data contained on a master disc is copied onto individual blank CD-R discs. With smaller quantities - or for rapid turnarounds - this is the most effective and cost efficient way of producing CD-ROM and CD-Audio discs. The storage capacity is 700MB of data or 80 minutes of audio. At All Write Media, we use a number of high-speed tower burners which copy and verify the duplicate discs, and we print in full colour onto the discs using industrial ink jet printers with continuous ink flow systems which deliver superb quality.
CD Replication
Replication describes the process of injection-moulding polycarbonate (high-grade plastic) into a CD, with the music or data being literally pressed - using a stamper created from a glass master - onto one side of the molten plastic disc. This is the most cost effective way of producing larger quantities of CD. The maximum capacity of a moulded CD, as set down in the "Red Book" standard, is 77 minutes of audio, while the capacity of a CDROM is 700Mb. All our replicated discs are printed using litho-printing machinery which delivers incredible quality.
The Replication Process
A CD (Compact Disc) is a polycarbonate disc with a metal layer capable of storing digital information. The most prevalent types of compact discs are those used by the music industry to store digital recordings. This type of compact disc is read-only, which means that once the data has been recorded onto them, they can only be read, or played. The process starts with the making a glass master and stamper from a PQ Master supplied by the customer. From the stamper, discs are pressed, then verified electronically to ensure the integrity of the content, and also played on a number of different CD players (or computers in the case of CDROMs). Once the discs have been thoroughly checked by QC, the CDs will then be approved for printing and packing.
On-Body Disc Printing
On-Body disc printing is the process of transferring the artwork onto one side of the duplicated or replicated discs. This can vary from plain text to full colour images. Three types of on-body printing are used for CDs and DVDs, litho, screen and ink--jet.
Litho Printing
Litho printing is a widely used printing technique where the inked image is transferred (or "offset") from a plate to a rubber blanket, then to the printing surface. When used in combination with the lithographic process, which is based on the repulsion of oil and water, the offset technique employs a flat (planographic) image carrier on which the image to be printed obtains ink from ink rollers, while the non-printing area attracts a film of water, keeping the non-printing areas ink-free.
Offset printing is mainly used for more complicated designs where the images need to be very clearly defined, the advantage of offset printing is that the different images in the design will be separated and not run together.
Litho-printing delivers extremely high quality on-body disc printing.
Screen Printing
A screen is made of a piece of porous, finely woven fabric (originally silk, but typically made of polyester or nylon) stretched over an aluminum frame. Areas of the screen are blocked off with a non-permeable material - a stencil - which is a positive of the image to be printed; that is, the open spaces are where the ink will appear.
The screen is placed on top of the disc. Ink is placed on top of the screen, and a rubber blade(squeegee) is used to push the ink evenly into the screen openings and onto the disc. The ink passes through the open spaces in the screen onto disc below; the screen is lifted away and then the squeegee is pushed back across the screen, with the screen lifted, "flooding" the ink into the screen. The screen can be re-used after cleaning. If more than one colour is being printed on the same surface, the ink is allowed to dry and then the process is repeated with another screen and different color of ink.
Silk-screen printing is primarily used for printing spot colours and pantone references, and is not very successful for full colour work.
Ink-Jet Printing
We use industrial-grade ink jet printers to produce very high quality, full colour on-body print for our duplicated discs. Using a patented continuous flow system, the problems usually associated with ink-jet printing - such as inconsistent coverage and colour changes - are eliminated.