A computer-implemented method for elongation measurement of a workpiece during forging comprising: a. acquiring a first image of a first scanned area having a first mark pattern on a side of the workpiece between a distal end of a first end of the workpiece and a prospective forging location before a forging blow; b. acquiring a second image of a second scanned area having a second mark pattern on a side of the workpiece between a distal end of a second end of the workpiece and the prospective forging location before the forging blow; c. acquiring a third image of a third scanned area including at least a portion of the first scanned area having the first mark pattern on the side of the workpiece between the distal end of the first end of the workpiece and a forging location after the forging blow; d. acquiring a fourth image of a fourth scanned area including at least a portion of the second scanned area having the second mark pattern on the side of the workpiece between the distal end of the second end of the workpiece and the forging location after the forging blow; e. determining a relative horizontal movement of the first end of the workpiece by correlating a horizontal position of the first mark pattern in the first image relative to a horizontal position of the first mark pattern in the third image; f. determining a relative horizontal movement of the second end of the workpiece by correlating a horizontal position of the second mark pattern in the second image relative to a horizontal position of the second mark pattern in the fourth image; and g. calculating an elongation of the workpiece wherein the elongation of the workpiece is a sum of the relative horizontal movement of the first end of the workpiece and the relative horizontal movement of the second end of the workpiece. a. acquiring a first image of a first scanned area having a first mark pattern on a side of the workpiece between a distal end of a first end of the workpiece and a prospective forging location before a forging blow; b. acquiring a second image of a second scanned area having a second mark pattern on a side of the workpiece between a distal end of a second end of the workpiece and the prospective forging location before the forging blow; c. acquiring a third image of a third scanned area including at least a portion of the first scanned area having the first mark pattern on the side of the workpiece between the distal end of the first end of the workpiece and a forging location after the forging blow; d. acquiring a fourth image of a fourth scanned area including at least a portion of the second scanned area having the second mark pattern on the side of the workpiece between the distal end of the second end of the workpiece and the forging location after the forging blow; e. determining a relative horizontal movement of the first end of the workpiece by correlating a horizontal position of the first mark pattern in the first image relative to a horizontal position of the first mark pattern in the third image; f. determining a relative horizontal movement of the second end of the workpiece by correlating a horizontal position of the second mark pattern in the second image relative to a horizontal position of the second mark pattern in the fourth image; and g. calculating an elongation of the workpiece wherein the elongation of the workpiece is a sum of the relative horizontal movement of the first end of the workpiece and the relative horizontal movement of the second end of the workpiece.