Accuracy of numerical models based in finite elements (FE), extensively used for simulation of cutting processes, depends strongly on the identification of proper material parameters. Experimental identification of the constitutive law parameters for simulation of cutting processes involves unsolved problems such as the complex testing techniques or the difficulty to reproduce the stress triaxiality state during cutting. This work proposes a methodology for the inverse identification of the material parameters from cutting test. Two hybrid approaches are compared. One of them based on FE and artificial neural networks (ANN). The other one based on FE and local polynomial regression (LPR). Firstly, a FE model is validated with experimental data. Then, ANN and LPR are trained with FE simulations. Finally, the estimated ANN and LPR models are used for the inverse identification of material parameters. This identification is solved as an optimization problem. The FE/LPR approach shows good performance, outperforming the FE/ANN approach. © Springer-Verlag London Limited 2010.