Record press

Cutaway shot of one side of a 7" record mould with stamper fitted.

A record press is a machine for manufacturing vinyl records. It is essentially a hydraulic press fitted with thin nickel-plated stampers which are negative impressions of a master disc.[1] Labels and a pre-heated vinyl patty (or "biscuit") are placed in a heated mold cavity. Two stampers are used, one for each of side of the disc. The record press closes under a pressure of about 150 tons.[2] The process of compression molding forces the hot vinyl to fill the grooves in the stampers, and take the form of the finished record.

References

  1. Riordan, James (1991). Making it in the new music business (2 ed.). Writer's Digest Books. p. 233. ISBN 0898794587.
  2. White, Glenn; Louie, Gary J. (2005). The Audio Dictionary. University of Washington Press. p. 271. ISBN 0295801700.