Laser cutting functional parts: from gears to gaskets

Laser cutting is often associated with creative or visual work. However, it increasingly plays an indispensable role in technical applications. Whether it's a click mechanism, a coupling plate, a front panel, or a rubber gasket: precision, speed, and flexibility are crucial. That's exactly what laser cutting offers – without relying on molds, long lead times, or minimum orders.

In this blog, discover how technical teams at Het Laser Lokaal create functional parts with the laser, and why gaskets are also perfectly suited for this technique.

Technical parts with the precision of a laser

When working in product development, machine building, or prototyping, you know how important dimensional accuracy is. A deviation of half a millimeter can already cause play, leakage, or jamming.Laser cutting offers a significant advantage here: contours are cut with razor-sharp precision, without distortion or frayed edges. As a result, parts are immediately usable—often without post-processing.

Consider:

• Gears or discs for mechanical test setups

• Front panels with cutouts for buttons, displays, or connectors

• Housing parts made from PET-G or POM for prototypes or end-use

• Positioning discs or fitting rings in dimensionally stable materials

• Inlay components for custom modules or module systems

Because the cutting process is computer-controlled, you can quickly repeat or vary—without additional cost or waiting time. This makes laser cutting perfect for iterative design or small series.

Custom Gaskets: Precision Work Without Molds

An often underestimated application of laser cutting is the creation of gaskets. These flexible components must fit precisely with the rest of a system to keep air, liquid, or dust out. Stamping is common here, but for small batches or varying designs, it is slow and expensive.

Laser cutting offers a direct solution: you upload a vector file of your gasket design, choose rubber as the material, and within a few days, you receive a perfectly fitting gasket – without cutting waste, without mold costs.

At Laser Lokaal, we process among others:

• Silicone rubber – flexible, temperature-resistant, and well-sealing, also suitable for food applications

• Neoprene rubber – wear-resistant and chemically resistant, suitable for industrial applications

For gaskets, the precision of laser cutting is a great advantage: even small screw holes, cutouts, or asymmetrical contours are cut out exactly.

Material choice for functional parts

The choice of the right material determines whether your part performs as intended. Laser Lokaal offers a carefully selected range of technical and structural materials that are easy to cut and perform reliably in application.

Some favorites of technical teams:

• POM (Delrin) – strong, rigid, and dimensionally stable.Suitable for sliding parts, mechanical couplings, and fastening components.

• PET-G – transparent, tough, and dimensionally stable. Commonly used in enclosures or cover plates.

• Cork – for shock absorption or pressure distribution.

• Rubber & foam – for seals, gaskets, or vibration damping.

Do you want to have parts made from a material that is not standard on our site? Please contact us – we are happy to think along about alternatives or custom solutions.

Iterative design: rapid testing, rapid improvement

Many of our technical customers work according to an iterative process: design, test, adjust, retest. Laser cutting fits perfectly with this. Because you don't need to request a quote and can immediately see the cost of a part, you can quickly adapt.

Need a new version of your front panel? Extra cutout in your housing? A gasket with just a slightly smaller inner diameter? No problem. Upload your customized file and we will cut the new version exactly as you need it.

When do you choose Het Laser Lokaal?

Creating functional parts requires speed, control, and quality. That's why more and more engineers, R&D teams, and makers are choosing Het Laser Lokaal.Want:

• No need to request a quote – you see the price immediately

• You work with technically suitable materials, such as POM and rubber

• You receive parts quickly and custom-made – even for small series

• You can test and vary without barriers

• You get consistently cut results, version after version

And if you're not sure which material or design works best? We think along with you – without complicated procedures or hidden costs.