44 a memory 46 for storing data and a monitoring module 48 that includes an optimization algorithm 50 stored therein stored in the memory 46 is an nc control program 52 which includes a native path describing nc data set 54 that is generated based on computer aided design cad data the nc data set 54 therefore defines the desired tool path 34 of the tool 12 for processing the workpiece 14 the nck 40 is connected to the user interface 42 and to the memory 46 via a bus 56 e g a multi point interface mpi bus of the simatic s7 the user interface 42 and the graphic viewer 44 are connected to the monitor 30 fig3 illustrates a method of sequentially processing multiple workpieces for processing a workpiece 14 e g a first workpiece the path describing nc data set 54 stored in the memory 46 of the computer 26 is called up e g retrieved and transferred via the bus 56 to the nck 40 step 100 next the workpiece 14 is processed step 110 for example the nck 40 controls a motion of the tool 12 according to the desired tool path 34 as shown in fig1 defined by the nc data set 54 and stored in the nck via the actuators 16 during processing of the workpiece 14 the working distance 22 between the tool 12 and.