Membrane switches are mostly made of different types of thin thermoset plastic. Its laser cutting process is done by melt shearing and chemical degradation. The more the molecules join together in a three-dimensional matrix instead of forming linear chains, the more chemical work has to be done to break the structure and the molecules in addition to the physical phase change of the melting process.

Moreover, the melting point of many thermoset plastics is close to the degradation temperature. The unfortunate result is that the cut edge of many plastics shows a yellowish discoloration. This can, however, be reduced by applying compressed air as assist gas. Nevertheless, the thinner the foil the better the cut edge quality.