METHOD FOR PROTECTING THE PRODUCTION DATA FOR PRODUCING A PRODUCT

Provided is a method for producing a product by a machine tool, wherein the control information and/or production data of a machine tool, such as a milling machine, injection molding machine, welding robot, laser cutter or 3D printer, is protected or cryptographically encrypted such that unauthorized copying or modifying is prevented, including the steps: producing product by the machine tool taking into consideration control information which controls the production of the product; generating production data by the machine tool during production of the product, wherein the production data describes the production of the product; providing protection information to the machine tool, which indicates which of the production data is to be protected, and defines a protection method for the production data which is protected; and protecting that production data which, according to the protection information, is to be protected, by the protection method defined by the protection information.