A method for the machining of workpieces (11) and inspection of the processed workpiece surface in a machine tool (1), preferably a die sinking electrical discharge machine. The method uses at least one machining process interruption during which the processed surface of the workpiece (11) is inspected. Within said machining process interruption, at least one image of the processed workpiece surface is captured on the machine tool (1) by means of a digital camera (12). The images are processed by one or two pattern recognition algorithm (PRA D, PRA S), which were previously trained to determine the surface characteristics such as roughness parameters, functional surface features and/or characteristic defects of the processed workpiece surface captured on that at least one image. The determined surface characteristics are used to resume the processing of the workpiece surface with or without adjusting the processing parameters.