APPARATUS FOR MACHINING WORKPIECES AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING A MACHINE TOOL

The invention relates to an apparatus for machining workpieces, in particular a thread-cutting apparatus (1) for producing threads on the ends of metal pipes (3), comprising at least one machine tool (2) for machining the workpiece, at least one control device (6) for implementing control commands on the machine tool (2), at least one superordinate process controller (5), at least one device for taking optical or tactile measurements on a machined workpiece, means for acquiring and storing process data in relation to the machining and means for acquiring and storing geometry data in relation to the workpiece that are acquired when taking measurements on the workpiece, wherein the superordinate process controller (5) comprises at least one correlation database for storing correlations between the geometry data and the process data and a prediction module (15) for deriving control measures and/or control interventions for the machine tool (2), which prediction module is based on machine learning methods and/or on an expert system, wherein the prediction module (15) is coupled to the control device of the machine tool (2). The invention also relates to a method for controlling a machine tool.