A system including a data acquisition system and a processing system is provided. The data acquisition system has a fixed position relative to a first substrate with a first pattern. The data acquisition system is configured to capture a reference frame that includes the first pattern and capture a first comparison frame that includes a second pattern on a second substrate, where the second pattern is substantially identical to the first pattern, subsequent to a relative position between the first and the second substrates being established such that the first and the second substrates to at least partially overlap. The processing system configured to calculate a first distance between the first pattern in the reference frame and the second pattern in the first comparison frame and determine whether the first distance indicates that the first pattern is substantially aligned with the second pattern.