DVD’s have become all too common in our lives. These discs are used to watch movies, install software and transfer data among other everyday tasks. The pictures below provide a glimpse into the process that creates these staples of our daily lives. The images are from a DVD manufacturing plant in Kazakhstan.
The process is mainly automatics and requires only one engineer to keep an eye on it
The main raw material is polycarbonate which comes in large bags shown below
The discs start out as grains of polycarbonate
The grains are first sent to the drying machine
The crystals are melted together into a liquid mass
The liquid mass is crammed into press-form using a stamper inside
Stamper is a metal plate with precise information. The one shown below is a movie which will be on the DVD
The liquid polycarbonate is turned into a disc at 250 degrees and the info is stamped on to it
The workpieces are then cooled
The discs are then covered with a reflective surface so that lasers can read the info
Half-finished DVD’s
Laser inspection is performed to remove bad discs
The discs are then painted
Temporary storage room
Preparing covers for the discs
Hologram to certify the DVD
Workers prepare DVD boxes
The boxes are then wrapped in cellophane film
The distribution center from where DVD’s are sent to different stores
The workers are checked for illegal possession of intellectual property
The DVD arrives at the store
