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CD-ROM / DVD
Replication (quantities over 1000)
CD/ROM and DVD discs are a replicated
(manufactured) product. They are made using fast state-of-the-art
equipment operated out of plants specializing in stamping
and packaging. Optical discs are read by bouncing light
off of the reflective side of a disc (for those that
are REALLY interested we have available a brief overview
of CD operational theory). The manufacturing
process used to create CD's / DVD's involves injection
molding, and is commonly called "stamping". There is
one type of CD available (although it can be formatted
differently), and there are several
types of
DVD's. The difference
with DVD's is that it is possible to store 7 to 25 times
more data on a DVD than on a CD of the same diameter.
Many replication plants profess
to be a "one-size-fits-all" solution. We recognize
that all plants are not created equal, and subsequently
review and rate them based on a variety of aspects including
quality, reliability, capabilities, and pricing. Some
are great at high volumes only, while others excel at
low runs. Some can successfully process fast turns,
while others make empty promises. Some are low-cost
leaders and others have special printing or packaging
capabilities. It
is our ability to research and evaluate these different
plants that provides value to our customers.
KOPY-RITE will evaluate each
CD-ROM project and assign it to the plant that is best
suited to the job. There are two pricing grids; one
for our Premium Plants and the other for our Standard
Plants.
PRICING
CONSIDERATIONS
CD-ROM pricing is primarily influenced
by two main factors: volume and turn-time. Turn-time
is how quickly the job must be produced and is measured
from the time the master is received until the day it
is ready to ship. Volume is the number of units needed
PER MASTER.
Turn-time is really the first
element that must be evaluated. A standard turnaround
is usually 7 - 10 days. This timetable can be accelerated
all the way down to 0 days (essentially same day production!).
As the turn time decreases, though, other factors come
into play. The primary consideration is plant reliability.
Many plants can promise
quick turns, but only a few can reliably
deliver quick turns.
No plant will guarantee a turn-time.
They will not charge for the quick turn if they don't
deliver, but that doesn't help much if you've missed
a trade show or other real deadline! Selecting a plant
with a proven history is essential if the deadline is
critical.
Consistently fast (and accurate!)
turnaround times are not easy accomplish and the plants
that specialize in this type of service can generally
command a higher price. KOPY-RITE will categorize these
as our Premium Plants.
If a standard turn is acceptable,
or if an accelerated turn is desirable (but not critical)
then our Standard Plants will prove to be the most cost-effective
solution. These plants are selected for their ability
to produce a quality product at competitive prices.
Volume is the second element that
we must take into consideration. At different levels
of volume the prices will vary. Generally, the larger
the volume the less cost per piece.
PRINTING
CONSIDERATIONS
CD-ROM's (and DVD's) are commonly
printed using either silkscreen technology, or offset
technology. Each have their own strengths and weaknesses.
Note that not all plants offer both technologies (in
fact, most offer EITHER one OR the other). You can check
out this link (http://www.kammann.de/e-cdmaske.htm)
if you are curious about what the machines look like!
Silkscreening is the most common
technology used for printing discs. It's process begins
by taking the artwork and printing negative films, 1
for each color used. These films are then used to transfer
the image to a screen that will be mounted to the press.
The screens can be pictured just as you would imagine,
with the little holes in the screen left open where
ink should be applied, and plugged where there is no
printing. There are usually 5 screens placed on the
machine (1 for white, and one for each of the colors
used in 4 color process printing: CMYK, Cyan-Magenta-Yellow-Black),
and they sit above a rotating tabletop that has slots
to hold the discs. The operator will then add the appropriate
ink to the screens. The consistency of the ink is a
little thicker than you might think; it is almost like
a peanut butter. This ink is then pressed through the
holes in the screen by an automated squeegee and onto
the disc below the screen. The tabletop will rotate
to move the disc under a UV drying lamp, and then onto
the next color station.
The only real major problem with
silkscreening is that many of the designs created by
graphic artists today are simply too complicated to
be effectively printed using this technology. As described
above, the ink is pushed through the screen and ends
up as a small dot on the CD. There are small dots of
varying sizes and shapes from each of the 4 colors (CMYK)
that when viewed seem to blend together to form a color.
However, they don't actually blend together; they only
appear to. Almost all of the printing you see works
this way, but the dots are usually smaller than those
used in silkscreening. Plus, the printing is usually
done on paper, and the inks will absorb into the paper
(dot gain) and somewhat blend together. The difference
is that with other forms of printing you have much more
control over the colors, and because of the smaller
dots you are able to print much finer detail. This only
becomes a problem when a graphic artists creates a beautiful
image that simply has too many subtle color shifts,
or includes pictures or graphics that have too much
fine detail. The result is that printed disc does not
look EXACTLY as the artist (and/or customer) envisioned.
This is not to say that silkscreening
is poor quality! On the contrary they look great, and
chances are most of the CDs you've seen are silkscreened.
The point is that the artist needs to understand the
technology (and limitations) of the medium being used.
Offset printing uses a different
technology in which a set of plates are created (either
using films as described above, or etched directly from
the artwork) and attached to a press (there are several
configurations). The plates then roll over an inkpad,
picking up the proper color ink, and then roll over
the disc, thereby applying the ink.
The advantage of offset printing
is that the plates can be etched at a much higher resolution
(175 lpi) then a screen for silkscreening (80 - 120
lpi). This allows for more color control and finer detail
as described above. An added benefit is that the ink
is applied in a much thinner coat, giving it a more
consistent and smooth feel. A downside is that you need
to do 4 color process, and cannot do Pantone.
The limitations of offset printing
are more plant problems then they are technology problems.
First, there are not many plants that offer offset printing.
The only problem with this is that it limits your choices.
We have several plants that offer offset, but they can't
do EVERYTHING that we want. For example, we have plants
that can do offset, but they simply cannot consistently
and reliably do fast turns. Or, they offer offset but
are too expensive. We are confident in our plants (or
we would stop using them!), but we also understand the
reality of what can and cannot be done.
Offset is really a good choice
if you do not require a rush turn and have intricate
or detailed artwork.
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