Heating oven and method of use

A system for producing a plurality of preform temperature profiles, the system comprising:

• a first heating means having a first preform path, the first preform path defined by a first transport system including a first conveyer element formed into a first closed loop, wherein the first heating means includes one or more first infrared ovens configured to impart a first temperature profile to a preform passing through at least a portion of the first preform path, the first heating means including a first dispensing means configured to selectively dispense the preform passing through at least a portion of the first preform path away from the first preform path and towards a blow molding system;
• a second heating means having a second preform path, the second preform path defined by a second transport system including a second conveyer element formed into a second closed loop, wherein the second heating means includes one or more second infrared ovens configured to impart a second temperature profile to a preform passing through at least a portion of the second preform path with the second temperature profile different from the first temperature profile by way of one or both of a number of the first infrared ovens being different from a number of the second infrared ovens or a length of the first preform path being different from a length of the second preform path, the second heating means including a second dispensing means configured to selectively dispense the preform passing through at least a portion of the second preform path away from the second preform path and towards a blow molding system;
• and
• a first transfer means configured to selectively transfer a preform between the first preform path of the first heating means and the second preform path of the second heating means one or more times such that the transferred preform is heated by each of the first heating means and the second heating means at least once before being dispensed towards the blow molding system, wherein a number of times the transferred preform is heated by each of the first heating means and the second heating means in combination is variably based upon characteristics of the transferred preform.