Have you even wondered the process that actually creates the vinyl that you listen to ? Well find below a full explanation of the process we undergo whilst producing your vinyl for you .

HOW VINYL IS MADE

the normal process for pressing vinyl is to first cut a lacquer acetate. This is just like playing a record in reverse - the sound goes in and moves the cutting head on the disc. The lacquer is then plated with metal, which is then used to make a positive 'mother', which is then used to make the final negative stampers. Since you can't plate metal directly onto a non-metal, the process of plating and replating lacquers takes a long time and uses a lot of dangerous chemicals - so it's expensive.

DMM (Direct Metal Mastering) cuts audio directly to a copper disc. That means none of the pre-echo, distortion or high end loss you get with normal pressing, plus it's a lot safer and cheaper. The copper disc can be plated directly into a stamper so we get a faster turnaround and better quality than anyone else in the UK. Also, about the myth of lower quality on colour vinyl.. it's completey untrue . Our plant makes its own vinyl compounds so can use any combination of dyes, overlays etc. Whether black, green, purple, transparent, whatever vinyl compound is used, it's all the same PVC (polyvinyil chloride) made with a combination of petroleum and saltwater.

Black dye is used to make standard black records so whatever colour or combination you use, every record is made with EXACTLY the same stuff. The only difference is with picture discs, which are made by compressing a thin printed coating onto the vinyl record. However, as most picture discs are made on 180g vinyl instead of 140g, in practice the quality is actually better than a normal record!

Electronic graphic source material

The accuracy of your source materials shall secure the problem-free processing of your order! For this reason we request that, in your own, you abide by the following conditions!

1. Colour images in colour model CMYK (NOT colour RGB model, Lab)
2. Spot colours defined ONLY by the Pantone sample book (Matching system or Metallics)
3. Resolution  of colour images and images in grayscale - minimum 300 dpi  in actual size!
4. Resolution of black and white images (monochrome) - minimum 800 dpi  in actual size!
5. The document must not contain:
   
   • Images in format DCS1 or DCS2 (separated EPS)
   • Images in format EPS with postscript colour management
   • ICC profiles
     
6. For all types of printed materials a trim addition of 3 mm to each outer (margin) edge.
7. Imposition for staple (V1) binding in the case of a document of 4 and more pages.
8. Final size indicated by crop marks.
9. Printing of CD/DVD has precise dimensions (3 mm trim addition is not added)   precise dimensions of the print can be found in the technical conditions of CD/DVD.
10. PLEASE NOTE: All labels are printed on uncoated offset paper so the ink is a bit absorbed into the paper nad than when the labels are baked before pressing .we do not guarantee the colours on the labels – it is the character of the material can change the colours originally supplied.
    
    
    

We accept source materials only in the following formats:

PDF
must be created from composite postscript (see point 2) using application Adobe Distiller (i.e. by the process: Source application   Postscript   Adobe Acrobat Distiller   PDF file, see following paragraph D) do not create it by saving or export directly from source application (e.g. Adobe InDesign, QuarkXPress, etc.). PDF files created in this manner has a different internal structure, which is not identical to the
requirements of the output equipment (proof, CtP, platesetter). Problems occur most often here with
processing fonts and with transparency, so in certain cases PDF files created in this manner cannot be
processed whatsoever. In certain cases this can be resolved by re-saving into postscript and back into PDF. Our DTP studio however does not bear responsibility for small text errors which may occur due to re-saving. must be compatible with Acrobat 4.0 (PDF version 1.3) , optimised for printing (press optimised) do not use OPI comments during creation 

 Postscript  (ps, EPS)

• must be composite (do not set separation!!!)   we recommend original print drivers from Adobe company or e.g. driver of our platesetter ScitexDolev4Press or we shall send by e-mail upon request) must not be created e.g. by driver of the Linotronics type, which creates a separated postscript
  must have all used fonts incorporated
  
  
  Media and data transmission You can send us source materials on the following media:
  

• CD-R, CD-RW
• 3.5" floppies (1.4 MB)
• 3.5" Zip (100 MB)
• 3.5" Jaz (1-2 GB)
  

Data transmission via network (e-mail, FTP, ISDN):

All data for the MAC platform must be compressed (packed using Stuffit program). We recommend compression also for the PC platform (ZIP, ARJ, RAR etc.) with regard to reducing the size of the transmitted data. We request that you compress both individual large files and entire folder trees into a single file. Data transmission by e-mail

Send source materials up to max. 5 MB by e-mail to: Artworks@fullforcercords.co.uk  Enter the order number in the subject of the message, and in the message itself state the name of the customer, description of the order (file xxx = CD print, file yyy = card-top etc.) and the name of the sales representative processes your order.

If you need any more info on our process contact us info@fullforcerecords.co.uk