CD replication is the process by which most commercial CDs are made. Replication involves making a glass master from the digital audio or data that will be on the disk. This glass master has the shape of the pits and lands that are used to store the data on the disk. The glass master is used to make a metal stamper, which is a negative image of the CD. The stamper is used as part of an injection molding machine to impress the shape into liquid polycarbonate as it cools inside the mold in a process called "coining." The polycarbonate disk is then coated in aluminum in a process called sputtering to reflect the laser beam of the reader so the disk can be read.  The disk is then coated in lacquer to protect the data from scratches and oxygen, and then finally the disc is decorated with either silkscreen or offset printing.  CD replication is the most efficient way to make a large number of identical CDs. The CDs produced by replication last much longer than duplicated disks and are readable by any CD player or reader. Click here for our CD Replication pricing and packaging options.

CD duplication is the most familiar way to copy CDs to most consumers. The process involves "burning" a copy of the data on one disk onto a recordable CD (CD-R). A laser in the recorder melts a pattern into the recordable disk that mimics the pattern of pits and lands found on a replicated CD.  CD duplication is good for making a small number of copies of a disk, but is not well suited to making large batches of CDs. Duplicated CDs do not last as long as replicated CDs, and are more prone to be damaged by things like sunlight or heat. Click here for our CD Duplication pricing and packaging options.

DVD replication is the process by which most commercial DVDs are made. Replication involves making a glass master (or masters for dual layer disks) from the digital audio, video, or data that will be on the disk. This glass master has the shape of the pits and lands that are used to store the data on the disk. The glass master is used to make a metal stamper, which is a negative image of the DVD. The stamper is used as part of an injection molding machine to impress the shape into liquid polycarbonate as it cools inside the mold in a process called "coining". The disk is made in two halves. The halves of the disk will be different depending on which format (DVD5, DVD9, or DVD10) the final disk will be.  All formats of disk will have one half-disk that is coated in a fully reflective layer of aluminum.  The purpose of this metal layer is to reflect the laser from the reader so that the disk can be "read". For DVD5 disks, the other half-of the disk is called a dummy-layer, it has no data, and no reflective coating. For DVD9, the other half of the disk will have a semi-reflective layer that has the other half of the data on the disk on it. DVD players will read through the semi-transparent layer to read the first half of the disk, then change their focal point to read the semi-reflective layer. DVD10 disks will have two fully reflective half-disks and must be flipped over to go from reading on half to the other.  The two half-disks are bonded together with lacquer to protect the data from scratches and oxygen.  Replication is the most efficient way to make a large number of identical DVDs. The DVDs produced by replication last much longer than duplicated disks and are readable by any DVD player or reader. Click here for our DVD Replication pricing and packaging options.

DVD duplication is the most familiar way to copy DVDs to most consumers. The process involves "burning" a copy of the data on one disk onto a recordable DVD (DVD-R). A laser in the recorder melts a pattern into the recordable disk that mimics the pattern of pits and lands found on a replicated DVD.  DVD duplication is good for making a small number of copies of a disk, but is not well suited to making large batches of DVDs. Duplicated DVDs do not last as long as replicated DVDs, and are more prone to be damaged by things like sunlight or heat. Click here for our DVD Duplication pricing and packaging options.

Blu-Ray replication is the process which most Blu-ray disks (BDs) are made. Replication involves making a glass master from the digital audio, video, or data that will be on the disk. This glass master has the shape of the pits and lands that are used to store the data on the disk. The glass master is used to make a metal stamper, which is a negative image of the BD. The stamper is used as part of an injection molding machine to impress the shape into liquid polycarbonate as it cools inside the mold in a process called "coining". The polycarbonate disk is then coated in aluminum in a process called sputtering to reflect the laser beam of the reader so the disk can be read.  The disk is then coated in lacquer to protect the data from scratches and oxygen.  If the BD is multi-layered, the other layers will be embossed into the lacquer which will then be sputtered with a semi-transparent layer of aluminum, then coated in lacquer again.  This process is repeated for each layer of data.  A second type of lacquer (TDK® Super Hard Coat) is applied last to give it extra scratch resistance.  The BD is made to extremely tight tolerances for flatness, and this includes the lacquer layers.  Then, finally, the BD is printed with a label.  BD replication is the most efficient way to make a large number of identical BDs.  The BDs produced by replication last much longer than duplicated disks. Click here for our Blu-ray replication pricing and packaging options.

Blu-Ray disks may be duplicated by "burning" a copy of the information from one Blu-ray disk (BD) onto a recordable BD (BD-R). A laser in the recorder melts a pattern into the recordable disk that mimics the pattern of pits and lands found on a replicated BD.  BD duplication is good for making a small number of copies of a disk, but is not well suited to making large batches of BDs. Duplicated BDs do not last as long as replicated BDs, and are more prone to be damaged by things like sunlight or heat. Click here for our Blu-ray Duplication pricing and packaging options.