Motorized Notch Cutter — V-Notch Specimen Cutter for Izod & Charpy Testing

International Equipments is a leading manufacturer, supplier and exporter of Motorized Notch Cutters in India. Built at our Mumbai facility, our Notch Cutters are precision sample-preparation machines designed to cut a standard 45° V-notch into plastic test specimens for Izod and Charpy impact testing, fully compliant with ASTM D 256, ASTM D 6110, ISO 179 and ISO 180.

We offer the Notch Cutter in two variants — a Standard Motorized model and a Variable Speed model with vector-controlled drive — both fitted with a high-precision Mitutoyo depth micrometer (least count 0.01 mm). A correctly cut notch is the single most important factor for repeatable Izod and Charpy results, which is why every serious impact-testing laboratory invests in a dedicated motorized notch cutter alongside the impact tester itself.

What is a Motorized Notch Cutter?

A Motorized Notch Cutter — also called a V-Notch Cutter, Specimen Notching Machine or Impact Specimen Notcher — is a precision laboratory machine used to cut a controlled, standard-dimension V-notch into rigid plastic test specimens before Izod or Charpy impact testing. The cutter holds the specimen securely in a fixture, then a rotating notching tool with a 45° cutting profile machines a clean, sharp V-notch to a user-set depth controlled by the high-resolution depth micrometer.

Without a properly cut notch, Izod and Charpy impact results are simply not reliable. ASTM D 256, ASTM D 6110, ISO 179 and ISO 180 all specify exact notch geometry (45° angle, defined depth, defined radius at the notch root). A manual file or a generic milling machine cannot meet these tolerances. A dedicated motorized notch cutter, with a calibrated depth micrometer, is the only practical way to prepare compliant test specimens day after day.

Why is the V-Notch So Critical for Impact Testing?

The V-notch concentrates stress at a single, known point in the specimen so that fracture initiates at that point during the impact test. This is what makes impact results repeatable between operators, between batches and between laboratories worldwide.

If the notch is too shallow, the specimen will absorb more energy than the standard expects, and the result will be falsely high. If the notch is too deep, the result will be falsely low. If the notch root radius is inconsistent (caused by a worn cutter or by hand-cutting), the spread of results between samples will be unacceptably wide — making the data useless for quality control.

ASTM D 256 specifies a notch depth of 2.54 mm (0.100 inch) with a 0.25 mm root radius for the standard notched Izod specimen. Our Motorized Notch Cutter, with its 0.01 mm Mitutoyo depth micrometer, sets this depth exactly every time, so every specimen you test is dimensionally identical to the next.

Our Two Models — Standard & Variable Speed with Analogue / Digital micro-meter option

The Standard Motorized Notch Cutter is the workhorse model. It has a fixed motor speed of 1440 RPM and is ideal for laboratories cutting notches in standard thermoplastic specimens such as HDPE, LDPE, PP, ABS, PS and similar polymers — the bulk of typical Indian and export plastic testing requirements.
The Motorized Notch Cutter (Variable Speed) adds a vector-controlled variable-frequency drive that allows the cutting speed to be tuned. Slower speeds give a cleaner notch on tougher engineering plastics (PC, Nylon, Acetal, glass-filled composites) and on soft polymers that tend to smear at high RPM. The Variable Speed model also includes an acrylic safety jacket for operator protection.
Both models use the same precision Mitutoyo depth micrometer, the same 45° cutting angle, and produce notches that fully comply with ASTM D 256, ASTM D 6110, ISO 179 and ISO 180.