What type of tool wear is characterized by the gradual wearing away of the cutting edge?

Flank wear is characterized by the gradual wearing away of the cutting edge, specifically on the flank or side of the tool that is in contact with the workpiece. As machining operations proceed, the material being cut creates friction and heat, which results in tool material slowly being worn away at the cutting edge. This wear is typically uniform and manifests as a smooth, gradual disappearance of the tool's cutting edge.

In contrast, edge wear generally refers to any wear occurring along the cutting edge but does not specifically indicate the wear occurring along the flank surface. Notch wear refers to localized wear around the cutting edge, often due to abrupt pressure or geometry effects, while crater wear refers to the wear that develops on the top surface of the tool, typically opposite to the cutting edge, and is often indicative of thermal and abrasive wear under high-speed machining. Each type of wear is crucial for understanding tool life and the overall efficiency of machining operations, but flank wear specifically focuses on that gradual wearing away of the tool edge experienced during the cutting process.