AbstractThe processing of polymers typically includes steps involving heat transfer, such as quenching and crystallization. The mechanical properties of a polymer are thus affected by processing conditions, such as the amount of time spent by each portion of the polymer at each temperature in the processing sequence.This paper presents the results of a mathematical modeling study of the unsteady‐state temperatures inside a crystallizing polymer during quenching. This model differs from usual methods in including temperature dependence of induction times and kinetic processes, and in not treating the polymer as a simple, small molecule system. The model permits the prediction of the final morphological distribution within the polymer. Use of the model will aid in tailoring processing conditions to produce a product with specified morphology. The method is applicable to a wide variety of problems in polymer processing, particularly for those polymers which exhibit crystallizatio