A method for simulating a work process on a machine tool using a virtual machine configured to simulate said work process on said machine tool using machine data, workpiece data, and tool data as a function of NC control data and PLC control data, said method comprising the steps of: - subdividing said work process on said machine tool according to functional sequences of various system components and carrying out partial simulations of functional sequences for the various system components on a platform comprising a plurality processor cores, wherein the simulation of said work process is performed in parallel in partial simulations on different processor cores and the following steps are carried out: - deactivating all functional sequences with the exception of the system component to simulate tool paths and the system component to simulate a material-removal model, and - carrying out partial simulations on a first processor core by starting the system component to simulate tool paths, - starting the system component to simulate the material-removal model as a function of predefined NC control instructions and a predefined unmachined part geometry of the workpiece, - continuing the partial simulation to simulate the tool paths and the partial simulation to simulate the material-removal model for a first machining portion t0 to t1, - storing the workpiece geometry obtained at a predefined time t1 in the material-removal model and the associated status of the NC control instructions, - starting a full simulation incorporating all system components of the virtual machine on a second processor core for the first machining portion of the interval t0 to t1, and - starting a full simulation incorporating all system components of the virtual machine on a third processor core for a second machining portion t1 to t2 and, if applicable, for third to xth machining portions on additional processor cores when a specific time t2 or further specific times t3 to tx is/are reached. - subdividing said work process on said machine tool according to functional sequences of various system components and carrying out partial simulations of functional sequences for the various system components on a platform comprising a plurality processor cores, wherein the simulation of said work process is performed in parallel in partial simulations on different processor cores and the following steps are carried out: - deactivating all functional sequences with the exception of the system component to simulate tool paths and the system component to simulate a material-removal model, and - carrying out partial simulations on a first processor core by starting the system component to simulate tool paths, - starting the system component to simulate the material-removal model as a function of predefined NC control instructions and a predefined unmachined part geometry of the workpiece, - continuing the partial simulation to simulate the tool paths and the partial simulation to simulate the material-removal model for a first machining portion t0 to t1, - storing the workpiece geometry obtained at a predefined time t1 in the material-removal model and the associated status of the NC control instructions, - starting a full simulation incorporating all system components of the virtual machine on a second processor core for the first machining portion of the interval t0 to t1, and - starting a full simulation incorporating all system components of the virtual machine on a third processor core for a second machining portion t1 to t2 and, if applicable, for third to xth machining portions on additional processor cores when a specific time t2 or further specific times t3 to tx is/are reached.