Method for correcting process temperature profile in a multi-zone thermal processor

A method for discriminating process temperature measurements used to predict a part temperature profile applied to a part in a thermal processor, said thermal processor having a correlation for predicting said part temperature profile, a plurality of zones and a plurality of temperature measuring devices disposed along said plurality of zones, said method comprising:

• conveying the part into and out of the thermal processor through the plurality of zones for thermal processing within a time period;
• measuring a process temperature during said time period by a temperature measuring device within the plurality of temperature measuring devices, said process temperature being aggregated to a plurality of process temperatures to form a process temperature profile;
• determining a characteristic value to said process temperature, wherein said characteristic value is a function of a maximum value and a minimum value for said process temperature during said time period;
• and
• assigning said characteristic value as a constant to replace said measured process temperature in said process temperature profile.

A programmable storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for discriminating process temperature measurements used to predict a part temperature profile applied to a part in a thermal processor, said thermal processor having a correlation for predicting said part temperature profile, a plurality of zones and a plurality of temperature measuring devices disposed along said plurality of zones, said method steps comprising:

• conveying the part into and out of the thermal processor through the plurality of zones for thermal processing within a time period;
• measuring a process temperature during said time period by a temperature measuring device within the plurality of temperature measuring devices, said process temperature being aggregated to a plurality of process temperatures to form a process temperature profile;
• calculating a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value within said process temperature profile;
• comparing said difference to a qualifier value, assigning a logical value to a first value if said difference exceeds said qualifier value;
• and
• disregarding said process temperature profile by the correlation if said logical value equals said first value.

A programmable storage device readable by a machine tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for discriminating process temperature measurements used to predict a part temperature profile applied to a part in a thermal processor, said thermal processor having a correlation for predicting said part temperature profile, a plurality of zones and a plurality of temperature measuring devices disposed along said plurality of zones, said method steps comprising:

• conveying the part into and out of the thermal processor through the plurality of zones for thermal processing within a time period;
• measuring a process temperature during said time period by a temperature measuring device within the plurality of temperature measuring devices, said process temperature being aggregated to a plurality of process temperatures to form a process temperature profile;
• determining a characteristic value to said process temperature, wherein said characteristic value is a function of a maximum value and a minimum value for said process temperature during said time period;
• and
• assigning said characteristic value as a constant to replace said measured process temperature in said process temperature profile.

A device for discriminating process temperature measurements used to predict a part temperature profile applied to a part in a thermal processor, said thermal processor having a correlation for predicting said part temperature profile, a plurality of zones and a plurality of temperature measuring devices disposed along said plurality of zones, said device comprising:

• a means for conveying the part into and out of the thermal processor through the plurality of zones for thermal processing within a time period;
• a means for measuring a process temperature during said time period by a temperature measuring device within the plurality of temperature measuring devices, said process temperature being aggregated to a plurality of process temperatures to form a process temperature profile;
• a means for calculating a difference between a maximum value and a minimum value within said process temperature profile;
• a means for comparing said difference to a qualifier value, assigning a logical value to a first value if said difference exceeds said qualifier value;
• and
• a means for disregarding said process temperature profile by the correlation if said logical value equals said first value.

A device for discriminating process temperature measurements used to predict a part temperature profile applied to a part in a thermal processor, said thermal processor having a correlation for predicting said part temperature profile, a plurality of zones and a plurality of temperature measuring devices disposed along said plurality of zones, said method comprising:

• a means for conveying the part into and out of the thermal processor through the plurality of zones for thermal processing within a time period;
• a means for measuring a process temperature during said time period by a temperature measuring device within the plurality of temperature measuring devices, said process temperature being aggregated to a plurality of process temperatures to form a process temperature profile;
• a means for determining a characteristic value to said process temperature, wherein said characteristic value is a function of a maximum value and a minimum value for said process temperature during said time period;
• and
• a means for assigning said characteristic value as a constant to replace said measured process temperature in said process temperature profile.