Disclosed herein is a process for preparing cured arylene sulfide polymers. A first curing vessel comprising a first agitator is used to cure a poly(arylene sulfide) compacted powder. The curing proceeds until the compacted powder reaches a melt flow rate within a target range. When the melt flow rate of the compacted powder first reaches the target range, the power consumption of the first agitator is determined. A second curing vessel comprising a second agitator is charged with a second quantity of the compacted poly(arylene sulfide) powder. The second quantity of compacted powder is cured in the second vessel until the power consumption of the second agitator reaches the value at which the melt flow rate in the first curing vessel first reached the target range.