The physical processes of heat transfer are typically complicated in the curing of rubber. In this study, the image plot and the plot of the temperature profile were obtained in such an environment, and then compared with the finite element method (FEM), which is used in finite element analysis (FEA) software. A good agreement was observed, and the difference was less than 1% when evaluating the different curing conditions. This confirms that the correct curing time can be determined by studying the temperature profile, which will help to avoid the deterioration of the mechanical properties of thick rubber products. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.