Paragon kilns usually use the 3-key Sentry Xpress 4.0 or the 12-key Sentry 2.0 digital programmer, both developed by Paragon and the Orton Ceramic Foundation.

The SC-2 programmer allows you to set up, and re-use, four accurate drying, heating, holding, and cooling sequences: and do something else whilst the sequence is running. A sequence consist of up to eight segments.
A segment is one step in a sequence: often the time it takes to reach a target temperature. For example: one segment could take 50 minutes to reach 650°C; another could hold at 850°C for 12 minutes; and another could take 90 minutes to cool down.

Paragon programmers do not have pre-set programmes: you can easily set up and re-use your own. Although pre-sets might seem useful, you won't be able to experiment, or try or use other materials or firing sequences.

Generally, the programmers on ceramic kilns have two firing modes: Cone-Fire and Ramp-Hold. The programmers on jewellery and glass kilns just have Ramp-Hold.

Cone-Fire is simple: just enter the speed, cone number, and hold time. However, you'll learn more about firing if you use Ramp-Hold: each segment of a sequence has a heating rate, target temperature, and hold time. It's easier to adjust sequences, add segments, experiment, and copy published sequences for materials that may need stepped heating or cooling.

Generally, this programmer is used on the smaller kilns, such as the SC-2 and SC-3. You can set up, and re-use, four sequences of up to eight segments.

It uses a Ramp-Hold firing mode. Ramp-Hold, generally used for Art Clay, dichroic glass, and glass fusing, sagging, and slumping, allows you to customize the firing using multiple times and temperatures in eight different segments.
Ramp-Hold also allows you to programme slow cooling: useful, for example, for controlling the colours of ceramic glazes. However, plainly, the kiln cannot cool any quicker than it would do if the power was turned off.

Some of its features are:

Skip Segment skips past a segment during Ramp-Hold firing.
Hold maintains the temperature for a set time.
Program Review lets you check that the program you are about to fire is correct.
Temperature Display throughout firing and cooling can be set to °F or °C.
Error Messages report problems such as a disconnected thermocouple, stuck relay, or broken element.
Delay starts a count-down timer which sets a delayed start time.
It stores four sequences.
Three LEDs show whether you are in programme, review, or firing mode.
The programmer beeps when the set firing sequence comes to an end.

Your kiln will come with a comprehensive instruction manual. Drying and firing Art Clay is consistently easy whereas, working with glass, you'll probably need to experiment.

Generally, this programmer is used on the small to medium kilns, such as the Caldera and Fusion. You can set up your own sequences using up to eight segments. There are two firing modes:

Ramp-Hold, generally used for Art Clay, glass fusing, and glass slumping, allows you to customize the firing using multiple times and temperatures in eight different segments.
Ramp-Hold also allows you to programme slow cooling: useful, for example, for controlling the colours of ceramic glazes. However, plainly, the kiln cannot cool any quicker than it would do if the power was turned off.

Cone-Fire, generally used for ceramics, pottery, stoneware, glazes, china painting, and decals, fires to a set pyrometric cone number listed in the Orton cone tables. It's not designed for Art Clay, heat treating, glass work, and enameling.
Cone-Fire will only be successful if you understand how cones and cone numbers work. Unlike a programmer, a cone is a visual indicator that your work has been fired for the correct combination of kiln temperature, kiln atmosphere, and time. To learn more about cone numbers and cone-firing, go to cone-fire using the link below the menu bar.

Some of its features are:

Skip Segment skips past a segment during Ramp-Hold firing.
Hold maintains the temperature for a set time.
Program Review lets you check that the program you are about to fire is correct.
Temperature Display throughout firing and cooling can be set to °F or °C.
Error Messages report problems such as a disconnected thermocouple, stuck relay, or broken element.
Delay starts a count-down timer which sets a delayed start time.
It stores four sequences.
Three LEDs show whether you are in programme, review, or firing mode.
The programmer beeps when the set firing sequence comes to an end.

Your kiln will come with a comprehensive instruction manual. Drying and firing Art Clay is consistently easy whereas, working with glass, you'll probably need to experiment.

Generally, this programmer is used on the larger kilns, such as the Janus. You can set up your own sequences using up to twenty segments. There are two firing modes:

Ramp-Hold, generally used for Art Clay, glass fusing, and glass slumping, allows you to customize the firing using multiple times and temperatures in up to twenty different segments.
Ramp-Hold also allows you to programme slow cooling: useful, for example, for controlling the colours of ceramic glazes. However, plainly, the kiln cannot cool any quicker than it would do if the power was turned off.

Cone-Fire, generally used for ceramics, pottery, stoneware, glazes, china painting, and decals, fires to a set pyrometric cone number listed in the Orton cone tables. It's not designed for Art Clay, heat treating, glass work, and enameling.
Cone-Fire will only be successful if you understand how cones and cone numbers work. Unlike a programmer, a cone is a visual indicator that your work has been fired for the correct combination of kiln temperature, kiln atmosphere, and time. To learn more about cone numbers and cone-firing, go to cone-fire using the link below the menu bar.

Some of its features are:

Nine ramp-hold programmes, one with twenty segments, the others with ten.
Stop/Back goes back one step at a time to correct programming errors.
Add Time adds five minutes to a hold.
Delay starts a count-down timer which sets a delayed start time.
Present Status shows the segment that is currently running.
Program Review lets you check that the programme you are about to fire is correct.
Temperature Display throughout firing and cooling can be set to °F or °C.
Options to set up aspects of the sequence.
Error Messages report problems such as a disconnected thermocouple, stuck relay, or broken element.
Three LEDs show whether you are in programme, review, or firing mode.
The programmer beeps when the set firing sequence comes to an end.
It connects to a computer to monitor the sequence and produce grahical data.

Your kiln will come with a comprehensive instruction manual. Drying and firing Art Clay is consistently easy whereas, working with ceramics, you'll probably need to experiment.