Duplication & Replication - Whats the difference?                                

Many people use the two terms Duplication & Replication interchangeably. However, in the world of Disc-Media they are two very different processes. The purposes of both processes are similar in the fact that they are used to put data, video, or audio onto a disc.

In general terms, CD Duplication (a.k.a. Burning) is a process where lasers "burn" pits into a dye that is manufactured inside the disc. Burning is the process used by the drives in virtually every home or work computer used today. CD Replication on the other hand, is an injection molded manufacturing process that makes use of a "glass master" and stamps the image ('pits', read as zeros and ones for data or 'waves' for video and audio) into the extruded poly.

So what does this mean to the person tasked with publishing content onto a disc? What do they need to consider? The primary differences between these two processes comes down to the efficiencies each process has at various volumes.

Because of the extensive project-start-up-costs and the low per-unit-cost of replication, this process is most efficient (and therefore economical) at volumes of 1000 units or more. In contrast duplication has a very low project-start-up-cost and a somewhat higher per-unit-cost. So Burning is most efficient (and therefore economical) at volumes below 1000 units.

There is a transition period from 700 units to 1500 units where either process will cost roughly the same depending on other factors such as turn around time.