What is an album manufacturing machine?
This is a machine for manufacturing albums, LP’s and 45’s. It is essentially hydraulic with a closing force of 100 tons and is fitted with molds. Labels and a “pattie” (pre-heated plastic blob) are placed in the mold cavity while the molds are being steam-heated with an ideal steam pressure of 140-170psi. Stampers (metal plates, one for each of Side A and Side B) for each title to be pressed are fitted to the molds. The stamper contains a negative image of the grooves. The molds close and through the process of compression molding the material fills the cavity and takes the form of the finished product, complete with grooves courtesy of the thin metal “stamper”.
Water at a pressure equal to the steam pressure is then admitted to the molds which both expels the steam and cools the molds down. The machine opens and the LP is removed from the molds. The overflow material at the edges is trimmed and the albums are stacked and allowed to cool. Cycle time for a 7″ 45 is about 15 seconds and for a 12″ LP about 25 seconds.
The last album manufacturing machines ever made are said to be those built and supplied by Alpha Toolex to Melodiya (USSR) in the mid 80s. Most machines in use today were made in the 60s and 70s.
Manufacturers
* Alpha Toolex AB, Sweden
* Fabeldis SA, Belgium
* Philips, Europe
* EMI Ltd, England
* Southern Machine & Tool Company (SMT), USA
* Hamilton Manufacturing Company, USA
* Miller, USA
* Finebilt Manufacturing Co., USA
* Lened Inc, USA
* Werner & Pfeiderer, Germany
* Taunus Ton Technik (TTT), Germany
* TCS, Italy
All these brands except for Philips and Miller are still in use in some 42 album plants in the world today.
Alpha Vinyl Record Pressing offers high quality services at low cost. Brokers or independent musicians can contact this company, ask questions and find a solution that will suit their budget.
Alpha uses industry standard US made equipment that includes:
- 3 Lened x 12″ Vinyl Record Presses
- 4 Lened x 7″ Vinyl Record Presses
- Of course all other associated gear required to press Vinyl Records are all present in the plant
- Equipment is continually updated and maintained towards continual “cutting edge” advancements
