Replication And Packaging Solutions - Statistical Data Included

Emedia Professional, June, 1999 by Marla Misek

Among CD and DVD content developers, it's impossible to think about replication without also thinking about packaging, and vice versa. Indeed, the two distinct processes are so tightly intertwined in the minds of vendors and customers alike that the minutiae of each step are often taken for granted. Unlike a Monet painting--which frequently takes shape only when the viewer steps back and absorbs it as a whole--the perfectly pressed CD or DVD can't be appreciated fully without understanding the complex processes that combine to make it achievable in the first place.

This month's EMedia Professional--like the complex and competitive world of optical media production itself--offers an eclectic mix of features addressing everything from disc mastering and packaging to DVD's well-publicized, highly criticized, romanced, and resented derivative formats [Video, ROM, and Divx). Our trio of frequent contributors--Debbie Galante Block, Philip De Lancie, and Lee Hollman--tackle these issues and their effects on DVD [and in less problematic ways, CD) development in our "DVD Today" section. For CD-specific and smaller scale developments in optical disc production, look to Contributing Editor and CD WRITER Columnist Hugh Bennett's reviews of Rimage's Protege and Microtech's Image-Automator at the back of the book.

Also casting a wide net over the products and services inherent to replication and packaging (and, in turn, putting under the microscope the small brush strokes that make the final work a masterpiece) are the four companies featured in this month's "Replication & Packaging Solutions" advertising supplement. First up is MPO-Americ, which traces its evolution from producer of vinyl records to its current position as manufacturer of DVD-5, DVD-9, and DVD-10 discs in plants throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. Representing the packaging side of CD and DVD production is Alpha Enterprises, which outlines its complete line of optical media packaging solutions. Here, the company announces the July availability of TRIMpak, a lightweight, slimline packaging alternative to the traditional jewel box. Somewhere between a dozen CDs and a million lies duplication, a process that is constantly becoming cheaper and easier to manage. Here, MediaFORM simplifies duplication even further with the introduction of cdDIRECTOR for "disc-on-demand" recording. And for high-end DVD manufacturing, there's Multi Media Masters & Machinery (a.k.a., 4M), which highlights the features of its MCL 200 DVD manufacturing system and specialized bonding techniques.

In the end, optical disc replication is more than the science of quick turnaround, and packaging is more than the art of eye-catching design. For a bigger-picture perspective, read on ...

4M's MCL 200 DVD: another winner!

Today's DVD manufacturing systems consist of highly sophisticated, Hi-Tech modules, including injection molding machines, sputtering units, an inline/offline bonding system, and a final inline/offline quality-check unit. And while some equipment manufacturers offer the choice between several brands of systems, in the end, this doesn't constitute dramatic or unique product or performance differentiation. There is, however, one salient exception: the bonding system.

It's a well-known fact that the components exerting the greatest influence on the quality of a finished DVD are the injection molder and the bonding unit. The molding machines--common as they are across major manufacturing platforms--don't provide a simple selection criterion within a specific brand of manufacturing equipment. However, the bonding system is often unique and should be the most important factor in purchasing a DVD manufacturing line. Examining the market's current offerings, it's readily apparent that the individual approaches to bonding--especially of the DVD-9 format--are truly unique.

With 4M's MCL 200 DVD manufacturing system, users get all the features expected from a modern DVD line:

* Two matched injection molding machines, which guarantee consistency and ensure the thermomechanical "history' of each DVD half is identical. With DVD, the finished product is critically dependent on the starting constituents. Using matched halves provides the best guarantee that DVD's stringent quality requirements are met and maintained.

* A modular approach, which ensures upgradability according to the demands of the client, irrespective of whether they start with DVD-5, 10, or 9. This added flexibility and versatility ensures the machine will grow and evolve together with the market and the customers' specific requirements. For example, a system installed as a DVD-5 line can be easily upgraded to support other formats as well.

* Built-in intelligent disc handling system--a hallmark of 4M's approach--tracks the DVD halves all the way through the complete manufacturing process, from molding through coating, bonding, quality inspection, and ultimately to the storage spindle. This feature greatly assists the tracking and troubleshooting process and permits active monitoring of every step during manufacturing.