Oven heat distribution and baking test

Need

At the end of the bake the cavity walls are at similar temperatures; the spread cannot be seen from a single-point reading and only shows in a surface map. Browning shade changes in small steps on a light-brown scale, and ambient light and reflections from the shiny tray shift the measured shade.

Solution approach

As soon as the door opens the thermal camera images the cavity; the hottest and coldest points are found on the rear and side wall map. With the tray pulled out, the overhead area-scan camera images every piece under a ring light that gives even, shadow-free light; the browning shade measured in constant light is compared with the tray mean and an out-of-band piece is flagged with its position.

Process steps

1. 01

   Bake

   The test tray bakes at set temperature; the door opens when time is up.

2. 02

   Thermal image

   The thermal camera captures the temperature map of the cavity walls.

3. 03

   Heat analysis

   Hottest and coldest points are located; the spread is compared with the limit.

4. 04

   Shade gauging

   The tray is pulled out and the browning shade (L*) of each piece is measured.

5. 05

   Decide

   Piece shades are compared with the shade band around the mean.