Etch rate distributions are captured at a succession of hardware tilt angles of the RF source power applicator relative to the workpiece and their non-uniformities computed, and the behavior is modeled as a non-uniformity function for each one of at least two plasma reactors. An offset Δα in tilt angle α between the non-uniformity functions of the two plasma reactors is detected. The two plasma reactors are then matched by performing a hardware tilt in one of them through a tilt angle equal to the offset Δα.