Abstract: A start-up process is provided for bringing a material to an operative melted condition while the material is being heated, including the steps of attempting to agitate the material, sensing whether resistance to agitation is excessive, deactivating the attempts if excessive resistance is encountered, reactivating the attempt after a preselected time period, and repeating the foregoing steps until the operative melted condition has been reached or the deactivation step has occurred a predetermined number of times. Also provided is a device for practicing the above method, comprising a sensing means for sensing excessive resistance, a switching means for deactivating the attempt to agitate, and a timing means for reactivating the attempt to agitate after a predetermined time period.