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 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.

  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.