The Vertical Leap to Cold Processing: An of the Sculpfun V5 UV Laser

Sculpfun’s V5 UV laser marks a real break from diode and CO₂ machines. Running at 355 nm, it uses “cold processing” to break molecular bonds instead of burning material, delivering crisp results on plastics and glass that normally scorch or crack. It’s built as a compact galvo marker for speed and precision, not cutting: think 0.0019 mm spot size, 0.001 mm repeatability, and up to 10,000 mm/s marking speeds. Power is 5 W with a 6 W Turbo mode—modest on paper, but UV’s higher photon energy makes it punch above its weight for fine, high-contrast marks on metals, glass, and polymers.

Because the beam is steered by mirrors, jobs that take minutes on gantry diodes often finish in seconds here. The tradeoff is workspace: the V5 targets small parts with a 150 × 150 mm field (or 70 × 70 mm lens for maximum density). It excels at serial codes on electronics, jewelry branding, frosted drinkware, and even subsurface crystal engraving, where the laser focuses inside glass to build floating 3D designs—something diode and CO₂ simply can’t do.

Software is a two-track story. SGD Laser (Sculpfun’s app) unlocks the specialty UV features—3D relief, curved-surface workflows, inner-carving—with motorized Z autofocus. LightBurn is supported for familiar job control, though the most advanced UV tricks live in SGD Laser.

Safety is non-negotiable. The base unit is an open-beam Class 4 laser; you’ll need proper PPE, a light-tight enclosure, and serious fume extraction, especially for plastics. Price lands around $3,499, undercutting many UV galvos while delivering industrial-leaning specs.

Bottom line: the V5 isn’t a plywood cutter or a universal replacement. It’s a precision marking instrument that opens profitable, UV-only applications—bare-metal marking, zero-burn plastics, high-speed batches, and inner-crystal work—at a price that finally brings true UV capability into the small shop.