on a circuit board to determine the thermal excursion it takes through the soldering process. In the electronics manufacturing industry, SPC (Statistical Process Control) helps determine if the process is in control, measured against the reflow parameters defined by the soldering technologies and component requirements. Modern software tools allow a profile to be captured, then automatically optimized using a mathematical simulation, which greatly reduces the time needed to establish optimal settings for the process. See also Wave soldering Reflow oven Restriction of Hazardous Substances Directive (RoHS) Thermal profiling References http://www.idc-online.com/technical_references/pdfs/electronic_engineering/Electronics_Manufacture_Intrusive_Reflow.pdf Printed circuit board manufacturing Soldering