Abstract—The cutting pattern is the primary surface profile remaining on a lathe-turned surface along the tool feed direction. It reflects the cutting depth variation of each feed step distance. Cutting pattern evaluation is an important part of the spindle inspection process for a newly built lathe machine and is widely used by machine tool builders. Yet, how the pattern is generated and affected by the bearing has not been clearly understood prior to the presentation of this study. Pattern evaluation currently is completed by running a cut test under designed cutting parameters and visual checking by experienced quality control personnel. But because these patterns are not clearly understood, their qualification and quantification become a challenge for the machine builders and bearing maker. In this paper, a bearing spindle cutting pattern model has been developed and presented for the characterization of crossed roller bearings in a lathe machine spindle, which clearly indicated how the pattern comes from and it could be quantified for evaluation comparison. The underlying theory was derived from the relationship of turning motion in part rotation and cutting tool feed in a straight line along the axial direction. The modeling algorithm uses spindle run out FFT to get the spindle bearing feature frequency’s motion in the circumference direction, which is then synchronized at each cutting spot along the feed direction to modulate the tool and work piece pattern track. The model has been validated by simulated bearing feature frequencies and benchmark machine tests. The model’s characterized pattern was found to match closely with the actual cut pattern