Sheet Metal Notchers | From €269 | Manual and Hydraulic

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of sheet metal notching?

Notching removes the corners of the sheet metal blank before bending. Without this cut, when you bend the sheet metal on all four sides, the flanges will overlap and interfere with each other, creating imprecise joints and deformed edges. Notching ensures clean bends and sharp corners on boxes, containers, and casings.

Manual, pneumatic, or hydraulic notching machine - which is best?

The manual one (€400-950) is suitable for small carpentry workshops and occasional use on thin sheets up to 1.5-3mm. The pneumatic one (€3,200) adds a foot pedal and reduces fatigue for regular production. The hydraulic one (€8,000-12,500) is used for thicknesses over 4mm, large volumes, and when a variable angle is needed.

When is the variable angle needed instead of the fixed 90°?

Capacity refers to mild steel. For stainless steel, reduce by 30%: a 3mm notcher cuts stainless steel up to 2mm. For aluminum, increase by 50%. Manual models cut up to 1.5-3mm, pneumatic models up to 2-3mm, hydraulic models up to 6-6.5mm. Always choose with a 20% margin.

What cutting capacity do I need for my sheet metal?

What is the difference between a tube notcher and a tube bender?

The corner notcher cuts corners on flat sheets. The notcher (or chamfering machine) prepares tube ends for welding, creating 90° chamfers that allow weld penetration. Krollit has both: AK notchers for sheets and RA/MRA notchers for tubes up to 60mm in diameter.

How often do you change the notcher blades?

It depends on the material and the workload. On mild steel with regular use, the blades last 6-12 months. Stainless steel wears them out faster. Signs of wear are: burred edges, incomplete cuts, increased effort on the lever or pedal.

A notching machine is used to cut the corners of sheet metal before bending. The notching operation removes a portion of material from the edges of the sheet, preventing the flaps from overlapping during a four-sided bend. Without notching, the joints are imprecise and the edges deform.

Krollit offers Bernardo notching machines in three types: manual, pneumatic, and hydraulic. The AK 80 F, AK 100, AK 125, and AK 150 manual notching machines (from €429 to €950) are suitable for small workshops and occasional use, with a cutting capacity of up to 3mm and a fixed 90° angle. The pneumatic AK 130 PT and AK 150 P (around €3,200) add a pneumatic foot pedal for more intensive production. The hydraulic HA 250 x 6.5 and HA 200 x 6 VSW (from €8,000 to €12,500) are for industrial use with a capacity of up to 6.5mm and a variable angle from 30° to 140°.

The choice between fixed and variable angles depends on the specific processes: a fixed 90° angle covers most standard workshop applications. A variable angle is used for boxes, containers, and sheet metal with particular geometries requiring acute or obtuse angles.

For pipe welding preparation, the range includes Bernardo pipe notchers RA1, RAA, RAB, and MRA-Pro (from €269 to €3,086), which perform 90° chamfers on steel, stainless steel, and non-ferrous metal pipes up to 3mm thick and 60mm in diameter.

The typical workflow in a workshop first involves linear cutting with shears, then notching the corners, and finally bending with a bending machine for final shaping. Replacement blades and knives are available in the notching machine accessories section.

Krollit has been an official Bernardo distributor in Italy since 2007. Technical assistance, original spare parts, and shipping throughout Italy are provided.