A method for forming a multi-piece assembly by joining mating workpieces in a workstation, the workstation having a frame with at least one fixed locator and at least one adjustable locator, wherein each workpiece has at least one physical feature, the position of which within the multi-piece assembly is expressed in a collection of assembly data, the method comprising: placing the workpieces in the workstation so that one of said workpieces is in registration with the fixed locator; obtaining measurement data reflecting the positions of the respective features of the workpieces and representing the measurement data in a common reference frame associated with the fixed locator; using a processor to ingest and utilize the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store in memory ordered pairs of mating features; using the processor to define and store in memory, for each ordered pair of mating features, a test vector that connects a pair of mating features, where each test vector has vector components represented as variables stored in memory; using the processor to iteratively discover a solution for the mating workpieces by collectively applying to the test vectors a computational optimization process that seeks to minimize the lengths of the test vectors over a plurality of numerical optimization iterations while taking into account predefined weighting factors that give certain features locational preference over others; using the processor to reorient the data representing the feature locations of the respective workpieces in the common reference frame using the computationally discovered solution; using the processor to calculate the position in the common reference frame of a feature demarked for registration with the adjustable locator; causing the adjustable locator to move relative to the frame to the calculated position of the feature demarked for registration with the adjustable locator and thereby establishing a best fit orientation of the mating workpieces in physical space, where the adjustable locator is movable in a plurality of dimensions relative to the frame by corresponding motors or a robot controlled by the processor; and positioning said mating workpieces in said best fit orientation by registration with said fixed and adjustable locators and then mechanically joining the mating workpieces. placing the workpieces in the workstation so that one of said workpieces is in registration with the fixed locator; obtaining measurement data reflecting the positions of the respective features of the workpieces and representing the measurement data in a common reference frame associated with the fixed locator; using a processor to ingest and utilize the collection of assembly data and the measurement data to define and store in memory ordered pairs of mating features; using the processor to define and store in memory, for each ordered pair of mating features, a test vector that connects a pair of mating features, where each test vector has vector components represented as variables stored in memory; using the processor to iteratively discover a solution for the mating workpieces by collectively applying to the test vectors a computational optimization process that seeks to minimize the lengths of the test vectors over a plurality of numerical optimization iterations while taking into account predefined weighting factors that give certain features locational preference over others; using the processor to reorient the data representing the feature locations of the respective workpieces in the common reference frame using the computationally discovered solution; using the processor to calculate the position in the common reference frame of a feature demarked for registration with the adjustable locator; causing the adjustable locator to move relative to the frame to the calculated position of the feature demarked for registration with the adjustable locator and thereby establishing a best fit orientation of the mating workpieces in physical space, where the adjustable locator is movable in a plurality of dimensions relative to the frame by corresponding motors or a robot controlled by the processor; and positioning said mating workpieces in said best fit orientation by registration with said fixed and adjustable locators and then mechanically joining the mating workpieces.