Apparatus for determining the temperature profile of the surface being
sprayed or otherwise treated, the apparatus comprising four electric arc spray
guns (1) spraying molten steel. The guns (1) are connected to a six-axis
industrial robot (2) which is adapted to move them over the surface of the
ceramic substrate (3). The metal deposited by the spray builds up a metal
shell referred to as the sprayform. The temperature profile of the sprayform surface
(3) is recorded periodically by a thermal imaging camera (4) positioned
directly above the surface (3). The apparatus includes a pruning filter
for receiving each pixel of an image captured by the camera (4) and for
applying at least a lower temperature limit to it so as to reject or disregard
any pixels determined to have a temperature less than the lower temperature limit.