A heat energy sensing and processing system for a welding process, the heat energy sensing and processing system comprising: a heat energy sensing device for capturing a series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets of at least one heat energy weld region of interest located within a weld process region during the welding process wherein the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets comprises an array of pixels and a relative heat energy value assigned to each one of the array of pixels within the at least one heat energy weld region of interest, wherein the heat sensing device further comprises a protective enclosure; and a weld data array or data stream processing system for executing one or more weld sensing process software programs, the weld data array or data stream processing system receiving the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets of the at least one heat energy weld region of interest, each one of the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets processed by the weld data array or the data stream processing system to produce a heat energy data set output for each one of the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets; a weld data array or data stream processing system weld process control output for transmitting the heat energy data set output to a weld process controller; and wherein the heat energy data set output comprises at least one weld process region feature or a weld process region heat energy data, wherein specific features of the at least one heat energy weld region of interest can be automatically identified and continuously monitored. a heat energy sensing device for capturing a series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets of at least one heat energy weld region of interest located within a weld process region during the welding process wherein the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets comprises an array of pixels and a relative heat energy value assigned to each one of the array of pixels within the at least one heat energy weld region of interest, wherein the heat sensing device further comprises a protective enclosure; and a weld data array or data stream processing system for executing one or more weld sensing process software programs, the weld data array or data stream processing system receiving the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets of the at least one heat energy weld region of interest, each one of the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets processed by the weld data array or the data stream processing system to produce a heat energy data set output for each one of the series of time-sequenced heat energy data arrays or data stream sets; a weld data array or data stream processing system weld process control output for transmitting the heat energy data set output to a weld process controller; and wherein the heat energy data set output comprises at least one weld process region feature or a weld process region heat energy data, wherein specific features of the at least one heat energy weld region of interest can be automatically identified and continuously monitored.