A method for automatically determining optimum welding parameters (P i,opt) for carrying out a weld on a workpiece, wherein - a plurality of test welds are carried out on test workpieces along test welding tracks, and at each test weld at least one welding parameter (P i (x)) is changed automatically along the test welding track from a predefined initial value (P i,A) to a predefined final value (P i,E), depending on the location (x), - each resulting test weld seam is measured along the test welding track with at least one sensor, and at least one sensor signal (S j (P i (x))) is received, depending on the location (x) along the test weld seam, - at least one quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) which characterizes each weld seam is calculated from at least one sensor signal (S j (P i (x))), - a quality functional (G(Q k (S j (P j (x))))) for characterizing the quality of the test weld seams in accordance with the changed welding parameters (P i (x)) is calculated from the at least one quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x)))), - an optimum of the quality functional (G opt (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) is ascertained, and from this determined optimum of the quality functional (G opt (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) the respective optima of the quality parameters (Q k, opt (S j (P i (x))) are determined, and from the optima of the quality parameters (Q k,opt (S j (P i (x))) from the sensor signals (S j (P i (x))) those locations (x) are identified as optimum locations (x opt) along the test weld seam at which the welding result of the test weld is optimum according to the respective quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x))), and the welding parameters (P i (x)) at these locations (x opt) of the test weld seams, identified as optimum, are defined as values for the optimum welding parameters (P i,opt) for carrying out the welding on the workpiece, and saved. - a plurality of test welds are carried out on test workpieces along test welding tracks, and at each test weld at least one welding parameter (P i (x)) is changed automatically along the test welding track from a predefined initial value (P i,A) to a predefined final value (P i,E), depending on the location (x), - each resulting test weld seam is measured along the test welding track with at least one sensor, and at least one sensor signal (S j (P i (x))) is received, depending on the location (x) along the test weld seam, - at least one quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) which characterizes each weld seam is calculated from at least one sensor signal (S j (P i (x))), - a quality functional (G(Q k (S j (P j (x))))) for characterizing the quality of the test weld seams in accordance with the changed welding parameters (P i (x)) is calculated from the at least one quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x)))), - an optimum of the quality functional (G opt (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) is ascertained, and from this determined optimum of the quality functional (G opt (Q k (S j (P i (x)))) the respective optima of the quality parameters (Q k, opt (S j (P i (x))) are determined, and from the optima of the quality parameters (Q k,opt (S j (P i (x))) from the sensor signals (S j (P i (x))) those locations (x) are identified as optimum locations (x opt) along the test weld seam at which the welding result of the test weld is optimum according to the respective quality parameter (Q k (S j (P i (x))), and the welding parameters (P i (x)) at these locations (x opt) of the test weld seams, identified as optimum, are defined as values for the optimum welding parameters (P i,opt) for carrying out the welding on the workpiece, and saved.