What is glass mastering?
This is the process of transferring the original master to a physical image, an exact reproduction, of the pits that are on your finished disc. It is a direct imprint. The glass master is a glass plate, about 10″ in diameter, coated with a light-sensitive material. During glass mastering, a laser etches very tiny pits on the material. When the master tape is played, its digital signals are converted to a coding format and this signal is fed to the special laser cutter. The glass master is very delicate, and cannot be played.
Once you supply us with a CD-R master or an approved Proof Positive Reference CD, glass mastering is the first step toward the replication of your compact discs. In this stage, premastered data or audio (including PQ subcode, DDP and disc Table of Contents) is transferred via a Laser Beam Recorder (LBR) to a glass substrate over an extremely thin layer of photoresist (i.e. film) on the surface. The LBR copies your information onto the glass by exposing small portions of the film. These exposed surfaces on the film represent data bits which are easily read by your CD player. When the glass master is completed, it is run through an electroforming process where a more durable representation of your data is created (the stamper) which goes on to press the pits which represent your data or audio into molten polycarbonate (i.e., your CD).
Once a PMCD is approved for production, glass mastering is the first step toward the replication of your CDs or DVDs. In this stage, pre-mastered audio (including PQ subcode, DDP and disc Table of Contents) is transferred via a Laser Beam Recorder (LBR) to a glass substrate over an extremely thin layer of photoresist (i.e. film) on the surface. The LBR copies your information onto the glass by exposing small portions of the film. These exposed surfaces on the film represent data bits, which are easily read by CD players. When the glass master is completed, it is run through an electroforming process where a more durable representation of your data is created onto metal (the stamper.). Stampers go on to press or mold your audio disc into polycarbonate (plastic). All glass mastering fees are included in your quote from Furnace MFG.
CD glass mastering comprises a number of stages needed to create a metalized glass master from which the stamper is produced. (We use the metal stamper in our injection molding machines to ‘press’ your CDs). The production of the ‘glass master’ occurs in a state-of-the-art mastering facility, with a class 1,000 clean room. Operators wear special clothing including facemasks and footwear to minimize any particles.
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