CD silkscreen printers are ideal for printing large quantities of discs, because they make CD mass production more cost-effective. It's a great investment for companies who need to produce full-color discs fast (such as software companies).
CD silkscreen printers apply ink to a silk or nylon screen and then penetrate areas of the screen that are not blocked by the stencil. The printer uses a lot of stencils in order to apply multiple colors in a single print. It is the same type of printer used for regular replicated discs. With CD silkscreen printers, you can do all kinds of color combinations imaginable - from PMS colors to four-color process and even metallic. There are far more color options in CD silk screen printing technology than in thermal or label printing. The result are high-quality, attractive CD prints done very fast.
If you need to print at least 500 CDs at one time, then you should definitely invest in a CD silkscreen printer, or at least sign up with a silkscreen CD printing company. You typically have to pay a one-time setup fee, and they take care of the rest. You can get huge discounts if you print 1,000 CDs or more, and if you order regularly. If you need to add dates, control numbers, serial numbers, etc., expect to pay some extra. If you need to print higher quantities, you should sign up for pantone matching services to get the most control available when you print your artwork.
If you only need to print low quantities of CDs (less than 100, for example), it might be better to go with thermal printing instead. CD silkscreen printing only becomes cost-effective when you need to print in bulk; otherwise, the cost per unit goes up.