A method for fabricating an induction motor rotor lamination includes using an indexed notching die to punch a plurality of closed rotor slots at different distances from a center point of rotation by punching a first rotor slot, changing the position of a center point of the rotor lamination with respect to the notching die, and punching a second rotor slot. In another embodiment, a plurality of rotor slit patterns are punched using a variable depth indexed notching die including at least two rotor slit punching portions, one being deeper than another, by punching a first rotor slit pattern, changing the depth of closure of the notching die, and punching a second rotor slit pattern with the second rotor slit pattern having a different number of rotor slits than the first. In another embodiment, each rotor slit is open to and off center with respect to its respective rotor slot, and rotor laminations are stacked by positioning some of the rotor laminations in an orientation with is turned over and rotated with respect to others of the rotor laminations; filling the rotor slots and the rotor slits with cage material; and machining outer surfaces of the rotor laminations. In another embodiment, uniformly spaced identical rotor slots are punched and modulation is created by punching a contoured outside diameter or by inserting slot wedges of molded magnetic material.