The understanding of the correlation between the coating-specific properties of PVD-coated cutting tools, the thermomechanical loads on the cutting wedge and the resulting tool wear, is necessary to avoid costly iterative test series. To obtain this knowledge a hybrid approach based on experimental tests and FEM-based chip formation is used in this study. In this respect, in a first step, a suitable wear rate model is derived and parameterized on the basis of wear analogy tests and experimental machining investigations. This wear rate model is then coupled with the FEM-based chip formation simulation to predict continuous tool wear.