AbstractMachine tools play an important role in manufacturing, but it is not easy to ensure efficiency and low cost, for machine tools. A machine tool simulation and evaluation system is urgently required. This paper presents an integrated machine tool simulation and evaluation system, which incorporates 3-D motion simulation and collision detection. The evaluation system incorporates post-processor and volumetric error analysis, for the evaluation of preliminary manufacturability and cutting force simulation. Using integrated virtual machine tool technologies, a variety of engineering activities in the product cycle can be performed digitally, to assess the characteristics of the real machine tool.