A method of operating at least one apparatus (20) for processing expandable or expanded polymer particles to form a particle foam component (30), the method comprising:
- receiving, at at least one data processing unit (40), a parameter data set specifying at least one of: at least one parameter of at least one primary process for processing expandable or expanded polymer particles, e.g. to form a particle foam component (30), at least one parameter of at least one secondary process for processing a particle foam component (30), or at least one parameter of a particle foam component (30);
- evaluating, via the at least one data processing unit (40), the parameter data set with respect to at least one evaluation criterion and generating an evaluation data set indicative of at least one current or future deviation of at least one parameter specified by the parameter data set with respect to the at least one evaluation criterion; and
- operating at least one apparatus (20) for processing expandable or expanded polymer particles based on the evaluation data set.