Today, CDs are such commonplace objects, many of us cannot even remember a time when they did not exist. But behind these ordinary looking discs is a long history of development and a production process based on ingenious technology that was way ahead of its time.
Making a CD
The process of CD creation begins with a single master disc. This original disc is made of glass and is designed to withstand the pressures of replication. This disc is cleaned with deionized water and a fine brush, then it is left to dry before photoresistant chemicals are spread on its surface.
After these procedures, the master disc is placed into a machine that will engrave data onto it. Coatings of nickel and vanadium are applied to obtain a die.
This die will be used to make copies of the master disc.
The plastic compact discs are made using a hydraulic press. Polycarbonate plastic granules pass into the preheated press until it liquefies. The plastic is then injected into the die to create a translucent disc. This disc is then left to cool until the plastic hardens.
After the master CD is replicated, a thin coating of aluminum is applied on the copies. This ensures that the data on the discs could be read. A coat of varnish is also applied to protect the discs against scratches.
Once the varnish dries, silkscreen engraving could be printed on the surface of the discs. The discs are packaged and sent to the market.
How the CD began
The first compact discs were invented in 1965, when inventor James Russell thought of storing information in a light-sensitive plate instead of the black vinyl hole-punched discs that were used to store music at that time. His product was patented in 1970 - but the idea was too advanced for his time, and it did not sell.
However, in the 1970s, Sony and Philips got interested in the idea and bought licenses from Russell. In September 1976, Sony made its first public demonstration of the optical digital audio disc, while Philips first displayed its product on March 8, 1979.
With these electronic giants supporting it, the CDs market potential was immediately realized. To accelerate the development of a marketable version of the CD, Sony and Philips decided to work together to set the standards of the compact disc and its player.
It took a year of trial and error before the first commercial compact disc came out. The Laserdisc - a 30cm version of the CD as we know it now - became the blueprint for the 12cm compact disc's manufacturing process. Philips worked on prolonging the compact disc's playing time and improved its resistance to scratching. Meanwhile, Sony created the player that would read the discs.
In 1982, Billy Joel's 52nd Street became the first album to be released in CD format. Three years later, Dire Straight's Brother's in Arms became the first CD album to sell more than a million pieces.
The compact disc then went on beyond its original purpose of storing and playing high quality music. It became the medium for holding computer software. As early as 1990, it became possible to write computer data in a compact disc.
Soon, the CDs effects on magnetic storage devices such as cassette tapes and VCDs became felt. Ten years after CDs became rewritable, cassette tapes disappeared from the market almost completely.
Making a CD
The process of CD creation begins with a single master disc. This original disc is made of glass and is designed to withstand the pressures of replication. This disc is cleaned with deionized water and a fine brush, then it is left to dry before photoresistant chemicals are spread on its surface.
After these procedures, the master disc is placed into a machine that will engrave data onto it. Coatings of nickel and vanadium are applied to obtain a die.
This die will be used to make copies of the master disc.
The plastic compact discs are made using a hydraulic press. Polycarbonate plastic granules pass into the preheated press until it liquefies. The plastic is then injected into the die to create a translucent disc. This disc is then left to cool until the plastic hardens.
After the master CD is replicated, a thin coating of aluminum is applied on the copies. This ensures that the data on the discs could be read. A coat of varnish is also applied to protect the discs against scratches.
Once the varnish dries, silkscreen engraving could be printed on the surface of the discs. The discs are packaged and sent to the market.
How the CD began
The first compact discs were invented in 1965, when inventor James Russell thought of storing information in a light-sensitive plate instead of the black vinyl hole-punched discs that were used to store music at that time. His product was patented in 1970 - but the idea was too advanced for his time, and it did not sell.
However, in the 1970s, Sony and Philips got interested in the idea and bought licenses from Russell. In September 1976, Sony made its first public demonstration of the optical digital audio disc, while Philips first displayed its product on March 8, 1979.
With these electronic giants supporting it, the CDs market potential was immediately realized. To accelerate the development of a marketable version of the CD, Sony and Philips decided to work together to set the standards of the compact disc and its player.
It took a year of trial and error before the first commercial compact disc came out. The Laserdisc - a 30cm version of the CD as we know it now - became the blueprint for the 12cm compact disc's manufacturing process. Philips worked on prolonging the compact disc's playing time and improved its resistance to scratching. Meanwhile, Sony created the player that would read the discs.
In 1982, Billy Joel's 52nd Street became the first album to be released in CD format. Three years later, Dire Straight's Brother's in Arms became the first CD album to sell more than a million pieces.
The compact disc then went on beyond its original purpose of storing and playing high quality music. It became the medium for holding computer software. As early as 1990, it became possible to write computer data in a compact disc.
Soon, the CDs effects on magnetic storage devices such as cassette tapes and VCDs became felt. Ten years after CDs became rewritable, cassette tapes disappeared from the market almost completely.
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