The development of precision machine tools requires an accurate understanding of the thermal be- haviour of the tools. Therefore, by developing highly accurate machine tool thermal behaviour simulations, it can accurately forecast the functional performance of a machine tool at the prototype design stage and provide guidance on its design and performance optimization. To improve the accuracy of the thermal simulation of machine tools, it proposed whole-machine temperature field and thermal deformation modeling and a simula- tion method for vertical machining centers. Based on the studies of thermal-structure coupling finite-element data flow and its critical conditions, it also proposed design and computational methods for obtaining the heat-source power, when various rotational speeds, the forced convection heat transfer coefficient between a rotating surface and the air, the combined heat transfer coef- ficient between a stationary surface and the air/environment, and key contact surface thermal resistances were considered. Furthermore, this paper performed finite-element simulation analysis based on the constructed whole-machine thermal model, and the temperature characteristics and heat deforma- tion mechanism/state were obtained. After comparing the simulation and experimental results, it verified the effective- ness of the finite-element simulation model and the relevant methods and confirmed that the simulation accuracy for both the temperature characteristics and the thermal defor- mation had been improved significantly, with a simulation error less than 10 %.