Serviceable engineering components not only rely on their bulk material properties but also on the design and the characteristics of their surface. These characteristics influence directly the surface quality of the machined products. In terms of surface roughness, the influence of the tool material can be also caused by its tribological properties, i.e. a contact behavior between cutting tool and workpiece. This study presents a formulation of the nominal’s coefficient and friction forces generated in machining between workpiece and cutting tool using cutting force profiles. The obtained equations led to the evaluation of coefficient, frictional forces and cutting inserts characterization in terms of better surface finish and lowest frictional forces. Indeed, results show that the contact between cutting tool and workpiece depends on the materials cutting tool nature, and that the cutting tool type can influences the surface roughness of the machined surface.