a method of disposing a wafer on a support member protruding from a surface the method includes supporting the wafer in a first position defined by a lift extending through the surface and manipulating the surface to place the wafer on the support member application_number US 25048499 A description the operation of the thermal conditioning apparatus 10 will be described generally with reference to the drawings for the purpose of illustrating present preferred embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same the thermal conditioning apparatus 10 of the present invention includes a thermal conditioning plate 12 coupled to a temperature controller 14 and a computer controller 16 in a housing 18 to provide a self contained thermal conditioning apparatus 10 while the preferred embodiments will be described for convenience generally with respect to use of the apparatus 10 to heat or soft bake a plate like material or wafer 19 persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention is equally well suited for use in cooling preheating and chilling apparatuses and the like in a preferred embodiment the substantially rectangular housing 18 includes a base 20 two elongated sides 22 a front 24 a back 26 and first and second sections 28 and 30 respectively with corresponding first and second top covers 32 and 34 respectively defining an interior 36 the front 24 contains an opening 38 parallel to the base 20.