The invention relates to a method for the assessment of a drive system (22) of a machine tool (21) or of a production machine (21), the drive system (22) having an axis (23, 24, 25), wherein a load of the drive system (22) is simulated, a drive profile (20) being used for simulation, actual values of the drive system (22) being simulated, the simulated actual values (40) being correlated with comparative values (41). The drive system (22) has at least one axis (23, 24, 25), a simulated load of the drive system (22) being correlated with at least one comparative value (41) on the basis of a drive profile (20).