For engineers · machine builders · startups
Small batches + prototypes: sheet metal parts from a single part
Laserteile Online manufactures single parts, prototypes and small-batch sheet metal parts from a single part – with an instant price and no registration, delivery from 2 working days and batch/ZIP upload for complete parts lists. Laser cutting incurs no tooling costs, and the minimum order value is €50 net.
1 part
minimum quantity
€0
tooling costs
from 2
working days delivery
516 MB
batch/ZIP upload
Single parts laser cut
Why laser cutting is the ideal process for prototypes
With punching or deep drawing, every new tool costs money and weeks – with laser cutting, a design change costs only a new CAD file.
Engineers, machine builders and startups face the same problem when building prototypes: a design is rarely right the first time. Brackets shift, hole patterns change, tolerances get refined. This is exactly where laser cutting shows its strength – it needs no tools, no moulds, no setup costs. Iteration two costs no more lead time than iteration one.
The process stays the same at every revision: load DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES or STL into the instant price calculator, choose material and thickness, see the price – with no registration, no waiting for a quote. That also lets you compare variants cleanly: upload two design states, place unit prices side by side, decide. Which factors drive the price is explained in the guide “What does laser cutting cost?”.
Important for startups and design offices with budget approvals: the calculated price is initially a non-binding quote. The order only becomes binding when you place it – so a project can be calculated and approved internally before anything is manufactured.
- No tooling costs: changes cost only the new file – not a new punching tool
- Instant price instead of quote ping-pong: price in about 60 seconds, with no registration
- Fast iterations: delivery from 2 working days, same-day express on request
- 10 materials in stock: steel up to 20 mm, stainless steel + aluminium up to 15 mm
Manufactured to drawing
From prototype to small batch – with no change of supplier
The validated prototype and the later series come from the same production, the same machines, the same data.
Anyone who orders the prototype from a model maker and the series from a sheet metal processor starts twice: new data checks, new coordination, new risk. At Laserteile Online everything stays in one hand – the approved CAD file is simply reordered at a higher quantity. Repeat orders run on the same production data, so the result stays reproducible.
Rising quantities pay off automatically along the way: one-off costs are spread across more parts, so the unit price drops – the calculator shows the effect live at every quantity change. And if the project outgrows the small batch, the large-projects team takes over from €5,000 order value, with individual terms based on the day’s current sheet metal prices.
Production follows your drawing: preferably as a CAD file (DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES, STL), since that’s what the calculator uses to work out the instant price. If you only have a PDF drawing or sketch, the team can help via an individual request.
So that “from 2 working days” isn’t just theory, Laserteile Online keeps standard materials such as steel, aluminium and stainless steel almost always in stock in every thickness. With material available, production sometimes starts within 24 hours – and if it’s truly urgent, same-day express production is possible for a surcharge.
USP for parts lists
Whole parts lists in one go: batch + ZIP upload
An assembly rarely consists of one part. Instead of calculating 15 line items individually, upload the complete parts list as a ZIP – up to 516 MB.
- 01
Pack your parts list as a ZIP
Put every line item of your assembly – DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES or STL – into one ZIP archive. The calculator accepts up to 516 MB in a single upload.
- 02
Check + configure line items
Set material, thickness and quantity for each file, choose add-on options such as deburring or threading – all in one pass instead of part by part.
- 03
Order the whole thing
Place the entire parts list as a single order. Delivery from 2 working days; with material available, production sometimes starts within 24 hours.
A practical side effect for small batches: the minimum order value of €50 net applies per order, not per line item. Bundled into one order, even small single parts reach it with ease – and the whole assembly arrives in one delivery with one invoice.
Everything from one source
The complete process chain for your small batch
Cutting alone doesn't yet make a ready-to-install part. Every follow-up step can be ordered directly – one supplier, one delivery, one invoice.
Step 1
Laser cutting
Step 2
Sheet metal bending
Step 3
Threading + deburring
Step 4
Powder coating
Every process is simply ticked as an add-on option in the calculator: bending, deburring, tumbling, powder coating and threading – plus grinding for stainless steel and aluminium. The instant price calculates the chosen options directly in, so there are no surprises afterwards.
By the way: your drawings and CAD data are used at Laserteile Online exclusively for calculating and manufacturing your order. Questions about handling sensitive development data are easiest to clarify in advance via the quote request.
Larger quantities? Talk to us first. For bigger runs we nest your parts together on the sheet and produce everything in a single run – that saves material and setup time, and we pass the savings on. Send us your drawing.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about small batches + prototypes
Is there a minimum order quantity for small batches and prototypes?
No – Laserteile Online manufactures from a single part – from one-off prototypes to small batches. Only the minimum order value of €50 net plus shipping applies per order; several line items can still be bundled into one order.
How fast is a prototype ready?
Standard delivery starts at 2 working days. If the material is in stock – almost always the case for standard materials such as steel, aluminium and stainless steel – production sometimes starts within 24 hours. For a surcharge, same-day express production is possible, with parcel shipping in 24 hours.
Can I upload a complete parts list?
Yes. The calculator accepts batch and ZIP uploads up to 516 MB: every line item of an assembly is uploaded in one pass, individually configured with material, thickness and quantity, and ordered as a single order.
Does my part get cheaper if I order more pieces?
Yes. Quantity feeds directly into the calculation – one-off costs are spread across more parts, so the unit price drops. You see the effect live: simply change the quantity in the instant price calculator and compare prices, with no registration.
Is production possible from a PDF drawing?
The calculator works best with CAD data: DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES or STL deliver the instant price in about 60 seconds. If you only have a PDF drawing or sketch, send it via the quote request form – the Laserteile Online team will get back to you with a quote.
Why are there no tooling costs in laser cutting?
The laser cuts the contour directly from the CAD file – no punching tool and no mould is built. Costs consist essentially of material and machine time. That makes the process economical from a single part, and a design change costs only a new file.
What happens if a small batch grows into a large order?
From €5,000 order value, Laserteile Online puts together individual quotes with personal support and terms based on the day's current sheet metal prices – with no change of supplier, using the same production data as the prototype.
Calculate a prototype now – instant price from a single part
Upload a CAD file or a complete parts list as a ZIP (DXF, DWG, STEP, IGES, STL) and see the price in 60 seconds – no registration, no tooling costs.
Delivery from 2 working days · Minimum order value €50 net · Express on request