In order to reproduce CDs, DVDs and BDs, cheaply and in large quantities, it is necessary to manufacture a completely precise replica of the original information in a hard, wear-resistant material that can be used as a mould to manufacture the final product by a relatively inexpensive mass production technique.
The development of CDs involved the original information being produced onto soft organic film by computer controlled laser technology, rather than the previous mechanical methods. The process, being digital and fundamentally more accurate than the analogue method, meant that the capacity of compact discs was much greater.
At this stage of the development of the discs, a disc would typically have 30,000,000,000 depressions on its surface all of which needed to be the correct length, depth and width and in exactly the right position on the disc surface.
The electroforming process has been refined to such a remarkable degree, that it has enabled the subsequent development of video discs (DVD) and ‘Blu-ray’ (BD) discs.
For more information on CD, DVD and BD production, please contact us.