Abstract: In an apparatus for bending an elongated material such as a wire, strip or section bar material, at least one bending finger is mounted for displacement perpendicularly between an extended and a retracted position relative to a working plane in a cross-carriage mechanism disposed parallel to the working plane (AE) and operable for displacement in two rectilinear intersecting directions (x, y) parallel to the working plane (AE), said cross-carriage mechanism (K) comprising an outer carriage (19) mounted for displacement in the X direction, and an inner carriage (15) mounted in said outer carriage (19) for displacement in the Y direction, each carriage being provided with a separate bending actuator mechanism (18, 24). The bending actuator mechanisms (18, 24) are adapted to be numerically controlled by a control device (C) of the bending apparatus (1) either separately or in unison.