Method for determining the mass and the position of the centre of gravity of an additional load of a movement system, in particular in the case of a machine tool

A method for determining the mass and the center of gravity location of a load of a moving system so that resulting load-dependent forces and holding torques can be compensated for to allow precision movement control of the load, the method comprising:

• providing a machine tool having a moving system comprising a support for accommodating the load, wherein the support is structured to rotate around a first axis and a second axis, wherein the machine tool comprises electronically controlled drive units for rotating the support around the first axis and around the second axis, the moving system further comprising a control unit in operable communication with the electronically controlled drive units;
• determining using the control unit a total moment of inertia and a holding torque for the first axis in a loaded state;
• determining using the control unit a total moment of inertia and a holding torque for the second axis in the loaded state;
• determining using the control unit the mass and the center of gravity location of the load relative to the support based on the total moments of inertia and the holding torques for the first axis and second axis;
• and
• moving the load using the electronically controlled drive units, wherein movement of the load is based, at least in part, on the determined mass and the center of gravity location of the load relative to the support.