Models are increasingly applied to improve the thermo-elastic behavior of machine tools. The most universal models are those with physically based approaches. They are used for analysis in the design process of the machines and for determining correction values in machine control during operation. In order to achieve sufficient accuracy, the models must be adjusted with metrological support. This is due to some model parameters, which have a high degree of uncertainty and overall effect. Because of the large number of parameters with very different characteristics, the determination of the parameters relevant for the adjustment is manually and computationally time-consuming. This article presents a systematic method of parameter selection that reduces this effort. The procedure is demonstrated exemplarily by the example of the thermo-elastic model of a hexapod strut axis.