A heated drum assembly enables improved thermal control of a hollow drum in the heated drum assembly by integrating thermal sensing devices in the assembly. The heated drum assembly includes a hollow drum having a circumferential wall that defines an outer boundary for an internal cavity, the hollow drum having a first end and a second end and a longitudinal axis about which the hollow drum rotates, a stationary heater that is located within the internal cavity of the hollow drum to heat the circumferential wall as it passes by the heater, the heater having a reflector with at least one wall and at least one heating element between the reflector and the circumferential wall of the hollow drum, the reflector and a portion of the circumferential wall subtended by the reflector forming a heating zone, an insulating shield mounted to the wall of the reflector, a thermal cutout mounted on the insulating shield, a support arm having a first end and a second end, the first end of the support arm being mounted to the insulating shield, and a thermal sensor mounted to the second end of the support arm.