Abstract: A welding system for automatically welding two workpieces together at a joint. The system includes a welding box having an electrode for welding the workpieces together; a camera assembly for viewing selected regions of the workpieces including a first edge and a second edge of the joint; and a controller connected to the camera assembly and the welding box for receiving the location of the first edge and the second edge of the joint and calculating the centerline of the joint and providing an output signal representative of the difference of the relative position of the centerline of the joint and the centerline of the fusing element. In the preferred embodiment, a 2-axis light source illuminates the surface of the workpieces to better locate the centerline of the joint.