bockning

Bockning is a general term for the deformation of a straight workpiece into a curved shape by applying a bending moment. In engineering and manufacturing it most often refers to bending processes that form sheet metal, tubes or profiles, but it can also describe bending in wood and other materials. The central goal is to achieve a prescribed bend angle and radius with controlled accuracy and without excessive distortion or cracking.

In sheet metal forming, bockning is typically performed with a punch and die, often on a press brake. Common bend types include V-bends and edge bends, while roll bending is used for long curves in tubes or bars. Key parameters are sheet thickness (t), bend radius (r), bend angle (α) and the resulting geometry, such as bend allowance and the neutral axis, which experiences little or no strain. Material properties, particularly yield strength and work hardening, influence formability. After bending, springback—where the part relaxes toward its original shape—can occur and may require compensation by adjusting tooling or using guidelines like K-factor calculations.

Other contexts include wood bending, such as steam bending, where heat and moisture soften lignin to allow a flexible, permanent curve. This technique is common in furniture, arches and boatbuilding. Plastics and composites also undergo bending, sometimes with heated tools or vacuum/forming methods.

Quality considerations involve dimensional tolerances, surface finish, crack avoidance, and post-bend operations such as deburring or coating. Bockning is thus a fundamental forming process with broad application across materials and industries.