A system for controlling a metals melting process in a batch melting furnace comprising: a melting furnace comprising a chamber configured and arranged to receive a charge containing solid metal, a burner configured and arranged to provide heat of combustion to the charge in the chamber, and a passage to exhaust burner combustion products from the chamber, wherein the melting furnace is characterized by at least one furnace parameter; at least one sensor (32, 42) to detect at least one charge parameter characterizing a charge added to the furnace; at least one sensor (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 40) to detect at least one process parameter characterizing progress of a melting process in the furnace; and a controller having a processor configured to: calculate an overall furnace efficiency based on the at least one furnace parameter; calculate a predicted process pour readiness time based on the at least one charge parameter, the at least one process parameter, and the overall furnace efficiency; and control operation of the furnace based on the predicted process pour readiness time, wherein the processor uses a model, which is created by using theoretical calculations combined with real data, wherein the passage to exhaust burner combustion products includes a flue; and wherein the at least one process parameter includes one or more of: burner firing rate, reactant enthalpy rate, exhaust enthalpy rate, flue temperature, furnace wall temperature, fuel heating value, flue exit combustion intensity, baghouse temperature, flue gas composition, flue duct temperature, furnace door temperature, furnace door gap size, furnace shell temperature, furnace chamber temperature, charge melt rate, furnace heat loss, elapsed melt operation time, and charge visual appearance, wherein when the furnace is a rotary furnace, the at least one process parameter further includes one or more of: furnace rotation speed, rotation motor current, rotation motor torque, and furnace vibration; and wherein when the furnace is a reverberatory furnace, the at least one process parameter further includes one or more of: gas pressure for bubbler gas stirring applications, roof temperature, wall temperature, floor temperature, speed of circulation of the melt, energy expended in circulation of the melt, and melt temperature inside the furnace chamber. a melting furnace comprising a chamber configured and arranged to receive a charge containing solid metal, a burner configured and arranged to provide heat of combustion to the charge in the chamber, and a passage to exhaust burner combustion products from the chamber, wherein the melting furnace is characterized by at least one furnace parameter; at least one sensor (32, 42) to detect at least one charge parameter characterizing a charge added to the furnace; at least one sensor (12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 26, 28, 40) to detect at least one process parameter characterizing progress of a melting process in the furnace; and a controller having a processor configured to: calculate an overall furnace efficiency based on the at least one furnace parameter; calculate a predicted process pour readiness time based on the at least one charge parameter, the at least one process parameter, and the overall furnace efficiency; and control operation of the furnace based on the predicted process pour readiness time, calculate an overall furnace efficiency based on the at least one furnace parameter; calculate a predicted process pour readiness time based on the at least one charge parameter, the at least one process parameter, and the overall furnace efficiency; and control operation of the furnace based on the predicted process pour readiness time, wherein the processor uses a model, which is created by using theoretical calculations combined with real data, wherein the passage to exhaust burner combustion products includes a flue; and wherein the at least one process parameter includes one or more of: burner firing rate, reactant enthalpy rate, exhaust enthalpy rate, flue temperature, furnace wall temperature, fuel heating value, flue exit combustion intensity, baghouse temperature, flue gas composition, flue duct temperature, furnace door temperature, furnace door gap size, furnace shell temperature, furnace chamber temperature, charge melt rate, furnace heat loss, elapsed melt operation time, and charge visual appearance, wherein when the furnace is a rotary furnace, the at least one process parameter further includes one or more of: furnace rotation speed, rotation motor current, rotation motor torque, and furnace vibration; and wherein when the furnace is a reverberatory furnace, the at least one process parameter further includes one or more of: gas pressure for bubbler gas stirring applications, roof temperature, wall temperature, floor temperature, speed of circulation of the melt, energy expended in circulation of the melt, and melt temperature inside the furnace chamber.