This International Standard describes a machine coordinate system related to the primary motions of individual numerically controlled machines and the associated machine motions. The machine coordinate system is used to provide the coordinates of a moving tool (or a point in the working space or on the drawing) with respect to a stationary workpiece. Thus a programmer can describe the machine operations without having to know whether the tool approaches the workpiece or the workpiece approaches the tool. NOTE 1 Individual numerically controlled machines means that all axes are mounted on one base or frame and all motions are related to one standard coordinate system. NOTE 2 For the sake of simplicity the majority of the text of this International Standard is written in terms accorded to machine tools but nevertheless accorded to numerically controlled machines in general. Coordinate systems and axis motion nomenclature for industrial robots is defined in ISO 9787, Manipulating industrial robots — Coordinate systems and motion nomenclatures.