chippen

Chippen is a Dutch verb meaning to chip, to shed small fragments from a surface, or to remove material in the form of chips. The term is used in a range of technical and craft contexts, typically referring to a cutting, breaking, or abrasion action that produces small fragments known as chips. In woodworking and metalworking, chippen describes the process by which tools such as chisels, planers, or milling cutters remove material and generate chips, with surface quality and tool condition influencing the amount and size of chips.

In industrial settings, chippen also denotes the conversion of bulk material into chip form. Wood chippen, or houtchippen, is a common term for turning branches, scraps, or processed wood into wood chips used for biomass energy, paper production, mulch, or landscaping. The efficiency and characteristics of the chip output depend on the type of material, moisture content, and the design of the chipping equipment.

The concept of chippen is closely tied to the broader idea of chip formation in manufacturing, where monitoring chip size and shape helps assess cutting conditions and tool wear. While the word is most frequent in professional or technical discourse, knowledge of chippen is useful across carpentry, machining, forestry, and related disciplines. The term itself reflects the fundamental action of removing material in small, fragmentary pieces.