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How a CD-ROM can work for you:
While the initial setup process of creating a CD-ROM can seem more expensive than producing CD-R's, if you
need more than 500 copies it is actually quite cost and time efficient. CD-ROM's take only seconds to manufacture
and are a great way of reaching a mass audience with a message. Best of all, CD-ROM's can be shaped and screen printed
to suit any need. We can print up to 5 colours on any CD.
Examples of CD-ROM uses:
- Software
- Promotions
- Giveaways at large events
- Supplemental material for manuals, magazines, books
CD-ROM
Information
The process for creating a CD-ROM is a longer than CD-R for
the initial CD, but once the stamper is made then each CD-ROM
takes approximate 4 to 6 seconds each to manufacture. After
the manufacturing process, then the CD-ROM is screen printed
and then packaged.
It is much more cost effective to go to CD-ROM of quantities
of 500 and more if time allows. BUT if a quick turn is required
then CD-R may also be more affordable. Rush charges for CD-ROM
are quite high at times and to achieve a 2-3 day turn is almost
impossible to guarantee because of the glass mastering process
can take from 4 to 8 hours alone. To make a glass master may
take as long as 8 hours and if there is a defect, it can be
16 hours; this is before the first CD-ROM is made! This is the
reason a CD-ROM is very hard to get completed quickly. There
has to be a TIME Murphy's Law built into the equation and extra
time has to be accounted for so that if there is a problem,
it can be re-done. The turn around for CD-ROM is usually 7-10
working days.
CD-ROM: First you need a pre-master. This is a digital/electronic
version of you final product; a zip drive, tape drive or CD-R's
is used to create your pre-master. The CD-R that is created
for the pre-master must be created in a very specific manner.
It MUST be a "Single Session, Write Disc at Once, Closed
Session" a multi-session CD-R cannot be used as a pre-master
for either CD-ROM or CD-R duplication and must be re-mastered
to a single session. This pre-master is then used to create
a glass master. The glass master is like a stamp. It will then
"stamp" melted polycarbonate into CD-ROM's. After
CD-ROMs are done, the stamper master is kept for future use
if more of those CD-ROM's are needed. This stamper master cannot
be edited in any way. Silk-screening the CD-ROM's is the last
process.
Stage 1 – A pre-master is created.
This is a "single session" CD-R
Stage 2 – A glass master is
made from this. This takes from 4 to 8 hours to create. (The
actual Glass Master is recycled once the nickel master is created
Stage 3 – A nickel master is
then created from the glass master and then a "Stamper"
is created from this.
Stage 4 - This stamper goes into
a molding machine that creates completely clear CD's. "Pits
and Lands" are stamped into the topside of the CD, but
it cannot be used yet. This takes approximate 4 seconds per
CD-ROM.
Stage 5 - A thin layer of aluminum
is adhered (via a "target" to the top side of the
CD-ROM and a thin layer of clear protective coating is adhered
to on the same side. This takes approximate 2 seconds per CD-ROM.
Stage 6 - This is when the silk screening
is done. The CD-ROM is now completed.
Depending on how any many colors it requires is how long it
takes to setup and print.
1 to 5 colors are available. Many times artwork will look stunning
directly on the silver CD-ROM, other times when there are flesh
tones, a white flood coat is required to cover the silver. A
graphic designer that designs for CD-ROM will have to take into
account that the media that is being used is a metallic silver
color as the base. A really effective design will use the color
"White" as a color rather than just using as a full base color.
A custom white can be very effective. Please call or emails
us for details. |
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