United Records Manufacturing Process
United's Manufacturing capacity during an 8 hour period is 14,000 7" records and 5,000 12" records. We will continue to expand the 12" pressing capacity. All presses were manufactured by Southern Machine Technology (SMT). The trash barrels catch the vinyl trimmed from the edges of the records.
Inside the dual press. On the right are the dies where the stampers are mounted. One piston applies 110 tons of pressure to the stampers to press the records. On the right are the trimmers. The press is currently hinged open to retreive a miss-pressed record.
Single press at United, showing labels in the foreground, arm extending the vinyl into the press.
Front side of the single press. The trimmer is driven by the motor on the right. The records slide down the rail, and are released onto the spindle.
The trimming of the extra vinyl.
Our test press is a Belgian manual press. The vinyl is hand loaded into the press. The press makes the record, then the operator takes the record out and loads the next record. In the foreground is the vinyl extruder that takes the vinyl beads and forms the vinyl biscuit that becomes the record.
Manual press with trimmer at the left.
All test pressings must be trimmed.
Inspecting and packaging the record.