A coupled thermo-mechanical model of plane-strain orthogonal turning of hardened steel was presented. In general, the flow stress models used in computer simulation of machining processes are a function of effective strain, effective strain rate and temperature developed during the cutting process. However, these models do not adequately describe the material behavior in hard machining, where the workpiece material is machined in its hardened condition. This hardness modifies the strength and work hardening characteristics of the material being cut. So, the flow stress of the work-material was taken with literature [H. Yan, J. Hua, R. Shivpuri, Development of flow stress model for hard machining of AISI H13 work tool steel. The Fourth International Conference on Physical and Numerical Simulation of Materials Processing, Shanghui in China, 2004, p. 5] in order to take into account the effect of the large strain, strain-rate, temperature and initial workpiece hardness. Then a series of numerical simulations had been done to investigate the effect of machining parameters on the machinability of hardened steel AISI H13 in finish turning process. The results obtained are helpful for optimizing process parameters and improving the design of cutting inserts in finish turning of hardened steel AISI H13.