The Mach 1.

The speeds behind the numbers tell the story. Hypertherm rates recommended capacity at 500 mm/min (20 ipm) and severance at 125 mm/min (5 ipm); Lincoln publishes the same three-tier ladder at its own published speeds (15–20 ipm recommended, 7–10 maximum, 5 severance, depending on model). A severance-rated cut "barely makes it through the plate and leaves behind dross or slag," in Lincoln's words. It is not a production number.

For CNC work the number that matters most is the pierce. A hand cutter starts from the edge of the plate; a CNC program starts most cuts by piercing in the middle of it. Across the current Hypertherm and Lincoln sheets, published pierce ratings run roughly two-thirds to three-quarters of the recommended cut and about half of severance. Size your machine so the thickest plate you'll actually pierce sits at or under its pierce rating, not its severance rating.

One honesty note: pierce ratings are OEM self-declared, not measured to a common standard. Hypertherm distinguishes pierce with vs. without automatic torch height control (the Mach 1 has height control with ohmic probing, so the higher column applies); Miller conservatively rates the Spectrum 875's pierce at 7/16″ "for hand-held and automated applications." Compare like for like.

On single-phase: the Powermax45 SYNC runs on 200–240 V; the FlexCut 45 runs on 120 or 230 V; the 65 A and 85 A machines from both brands take 200–240 V single-phase (the Powermax65/85 SYNC also accept 480 V single-phase). Remember the duty-cycle penalty above: a weaker supply means less arc-on time at max amps.

On generators, use the OEM minimums rather than guessing: Hypertherm publishes 12.5 kVA (10 kW) for full output on a Powermax45 SYNC up to 40 kW / 50 kVA for a Powermax125, and Lincoln publishes engine-drive figures too (30 kW for a FlexCut 105). Confirm your model's spec sheet or operator manual, and derate the amps if the generator is old or shared. In the finder above, answer the power question with the receptacle voltage the generator provides and mention it on your quote so we size it with you.

Consumables split the same way. Hand cutting drags a shielded tip on the plate; mechanized cutting runs at a controlled standoff, with shielded mechanized consumables cut for that geometry. An ohmic ring/clip on the mechanized consumable lets the height control find the plate surface electrically before every cut. That's how the Mach 1 sets pierce height automatically.

Consumable systems are the real cost-of-ownership decision. Hypertherm's SYNC line replaced the five-piece consumable stack with a single color-coded cartridge: RFID in the cartridge sets amperage and mode automatically, the system flags end-of-life before cut quality dives, and Hypertherm publishes up to twice the handheld consumable life of a standard stack-up (with more consistent cut quality over the cartridge's life in mechanized use). The counter-argument comes from an OEM too: Thermacut pitches conventional stack-ups because you replace only the part that wore instead of discarding the whole cartridge. One is faster and mistake-proof; the other is more granular. Both run fine on a table.

Cutting mostly thin sheet? Ask for fine-cut consumables (Hypertherm FineCut, ≤ roughly 3/16″): narrower kerf, squarer edges, less dross on gauge material.

And you don't give up hand cutting: quick-disconnect torch systems (Hypertherm FastConnect, Lincoln's FlexConnect one-torch platform) swap between the machine torch on the table and a hand torch in minutes.