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By the Arclight Dynamics team · Updated November 3, 2026 · 10 min read
Quick Answer: Arc Pro vs Arc Max
Pick by the plate you cut every day. Arc Max tables (Arc Max X, Arc Max Unlimited, Arc Max Elite and Arc Max Ultra) are built on a fully welded, unitized steel frame with HIWIN linear rails for shops that cut 1/2 inch and up all day, and start at $20,295. Arc Pro tables (Arc Pro Elite V3 and Arc Pro Ultra V3) are built for sheet and light plate, the shop that rarely sees 1/2-inch steel, and start at $13,995. Inside each line, Ultra runs Arclight’s ArcCNC controller with SheetCAM, Inkscape and QCAD, and Elite runs FlashCut CNC, which puts CAD, CAM and machine control in one program. The Arc Max Unlimited adds a reinforced frame for plate up to 3 inches, and the Arc Max X pairs the frame with Hypertherm® XPR plasma for high-definition production cutting. Every table ships with digital torch height control, collision detection, a water pan and fully licensed software, with no subscription.
In This Guide
What Is the Difference Between Arc Pro and Arc Max CNC Plasma Tables?
How they are meant to be used. An Arc Pro is a professional-grade table for a fab shop that cuts sheet and light plate: brackets, signs, parts, repairs, the occasional 1/2-inch job. It produces accurate parts with clean edges, sharp corners and round holes, and it does it for $13,995 to $29,995.
An Arc Max is a production table. If the machine will see heavy plate on a regular basis, or run most of a shift, the Arc Max frame is what holds up. It is a welded, unitized steel frame in 3×3-inch, 3/16-inch-wall tubing with HIWIN precision linear rails on every axis, an 8-inch-deep water pan with expanded metal at the 4-inch mark to catch small parts, 8 inches of gantry clearance, rollers for loading heavy plate, frame skirting, twin ball valves for draining and filling, and three emergency stops. Both lines run the same controllers and the same software. The frame is the difference.
| Arc Pro Ultra V3 / Arc Pro Elite V3 | Arc Max Ultra / Elite / Unlimited / X | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Sheet and light plate; shops that rarely cut 1/2 in and up | 1/2 in and up, cutting all day; production and heavy plate |
| Frame | Steel frame with NEMA 34 motors, planetary gearboxes and a ball-screw Z axis | Fully welded, unitized 3x3 in steel tube frame; HIWIN linear rails on all axes; the Unlimited is reinforced and gusseted; the X adds servo drive and an aluminum gantry |
| Plate capacity (product-page spec) | 1.5 in mild steel | 2 in mild steel (Ultra, Elite); up to 3 in on the Unlimited |
| Cutting envelope height / table height | 9 in Z travel; 74 in tall | 6.5 in Z travel; 60 in tall |
| Weight (4x8) | 1,100 lb | 2,500 lb (Ultra, Elite); 3,000 lb (Unlimited) |
| Water pan | 53 to 158 gal depending on size | 8 in deep, 120 to 420 gal, twin ball valves |
| Sizes | 4x4, 5x5, 4x8, 5x10 | 5x5, 4x8, 5x10, 6x12 (Arc Max X in 5x10 and 6x12) |
| Controllers | ArcCNC (Ultra V3) or FlashCut CNC (Elite V3) | ArcCNC (Ultra) or FlashCut CNC (Elite, Unlimited, X) |
| 2026 price | $13,995 to $29,995 | $20,295 to $44,995; Arc Max X $160,995 to $182,995 as a complete system |
| Same size, side by side (4x8) | Arc Pro Ultra V3 $16,995; Arc Pro Elite V3 $26,995 | Arc Max Ultra $22,995; Arc Max Elite $33,995; Arc Max Unlimited $39,995 |
Prices current as of November 2026 and matched to the product pages. Arc Pro and Arc Max prices are for the table; the Arc Max X range includes the Hypertherm XPR power supply.
How Does Material Thickness Decide Between Arc Pro and Arc Max?
Spec for the thickness you cut regularly, not the one-off job. The plasma power supply sets how thick you can cut; the frame sets how thick you can cut all day without the table moving under the load, and how long it keeps holding tolerance doing it. That is why the same Hypertherm system can sit on an Arc Pro or an Arc Max: the question is how many hours a day it runs on heavy plate.
Thin-gauge sheet and light plate are Arc Pro territory. Once you are routinely at 1/2 inch and above, step up to an Arc Max. If heavy plate is the business, the Arc Max Unlimited is engineered for cutting thicknesses up to 3 inches with a Hypertherm MAXPRO200 or oxy-fuel, and the Arc Max X with Hypertherm XPR runs the heaviest production work with the best edge quality available. For the cut-capacity numbers by metal, see what a CNC plasma table can cut; this guide is about which frame to put under that cutter.
| Your heaviest daily plate | Frame | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Sheet to about 1/2 in, an occasional heavier job | Arc Pro (Ultra V3 or Elite V3) | Pro-grade motion on a steel frame rated for 1.5 in plate; the right table for most fab and sign shops |
| 1/2 in to 2 in, cutting most of the day | Arc Max (Ultra or Elite) | Welded unitized frame, HIWIN rails, 8 in pan; built to hold tolerance under a full sheet of 2 in plate shift after shift |
| 2 in to 3 in, MAXPRO200 or oxy-fuel | Arc Max Unlimited | Reinforced, gusseted frame and 4.5 in slats for the heaviest plate and the oxy-fuel process |
| Any plate, weld-ready edge, production volume | Arc Max X | Arc Max frame with servo drive and Hypertherm XPR170 or XPR300 X-Definition plasma |
The full thickness-to-series price table is on the Choosing a CNC Plasma Table guide.
What Is the Difference Between Ultra and Elite Arclight Tables?
The controller, and with it the software you run every day. It is the same split in both lines.
Ultra tables (Arc Pro Ultra V3 and Arc Max Ultra) run ArcCNC, Arclight’s own controller, paired with SheetCAM for CAM, Inkscape and QCAD for CAD. It is a proven three-step path: draw, nest, cut. Ultra tables are also, at the moment, the only Arclight tables eligible for the extended warranty packages.
Elite tables (Arc Max Elite and Arc Pro Elite V3, and also the Arc Max X and Arc Max Unlimited) run FlashCut CNC, an industrial control system that does CAD, CAM and machine control in a single program. Elite sits above Ultra on price in both lines: the Arc Pro Elite V3 starts $10,000 above the Arc Pro Ultra V3, and the Arc Max Elite starts about $9,700 above the Arc Max Ultra. Our ArcCNC vs FlashCut CNC guide goes deeper on the choice.
When Is the Arc Max Unlimited Worth It Over the Arc Max Elite?
When plate thicker than 2 inches, a MAXPRO200, or oxy-fuel is in your future. The Unlimited is the Arc Max Elite frame reinforced and gusseted for plate up to 3 inches, with 4.5-inch-deep slats that take either the Hypertherm MAXPRO200 or an oxy-fuel torch. It runs FlashCut CNC like the Elite. The step from Arc Max Elite to Arc Max Unlimited is $6,000 at 4×8 or 5×10 and $5,000 at 6×12. If your heaviest regular plate is 1 inch, the Elite is the right table and the best seller in the lineup for that reason.
Who Should Buy the Arc Max X?
Production shops that need weld-ready parts off the table in mild steel, stainless and aluminum. The Arc Max X pairs the welded Arc Max frame, an aircraft-grade aluminum gantry, HIWIN 20mm rails, servo motors and a helical rack-and-pinion drive with a Hypertherm XPR170 or XPR300 X-Definition plasma system and FlashCut CNC. The XPR runs its process gases through a Hypertherm gas console, which is where the HD edge and the longer consumable life come from. It is sold as a complete system, $160,995 to $182,995 including the XPR power supply, in 5×10 and 6×12. If you are quoting parts against a laser or sending plate out for HD plasma today, this is the table that brings that work in-house.
What Do Arc Pro and Arc Max Tables Have in Common?
More than they differ. Every Arclight CNC plasma table ships with:
- Advanced digital torch height control with dynamic voltage sampling
- Collision detection and a breakaway torch mount
- A water pan to control warpage, dust and heat
- A system computer with CAD, CAM and CNC software fully licensed and pre-installed, with no subscription
- Pre-configured cut settings for mild steel, stainless and aluminum
- The same accessories: plate engraver, pipe and tube cutter, router kit and auto tracer fit both lines
- Positioning accuracy of .001 inch
- Lifetime tech support that follows the table, a warranty on mechanical components for as long as the original purchaser owns the table, same-day shipping on in-stock parts, and a 30-day satisfaction guarantee
So the decision is the frame and the controller. Get those two right for the work you actually do and the rest of the system is the same.
The short version
HD production: Arc Max X. Plate to 3 inches: Arc Max Unlimited. Half-inch and up on a welded frame: Arc Max Elite or Arc Max Ultra. Sheet and light plate with FlashCut CNC: Arc Pro Elite V3. Same work, tighter budget: Arc Pro Ultra V3.
Arc Pro vs Arc Max: Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Arc Pro a hobby table?
No. The Arc Pro Ultra V3 and Arc Pro Elite V3 are professional-grade tables with NEMA 34 motors, planetary gearboxes, a ball-screw Z axis, digital torch height control and a 1.5-inch plate rating. They are built for fab shops that cut sheet and light plate, not for shops cutting 1/2 inch and up all day. That is what the Arc Max is for.
Can an Arc Pro cut 1/2-inch steel?
Yes. Cut thickness is set by the plasma power supply, and the Arc Pro frame is rated for 1.5-inch mild steel. The difference is duty: if 1/2 inch and heavier plate is your daily work, the welded Arc Max frame is the better long-term table.
What is the best-selling Arclight table?
The Arc Max Elite. It pairs the welded Arc Max frame with FlashCut CNC, cuts 1/2 inch and up all day, and runs $29,995 to $39,995 depending on size.
Do Arc Pro and Arc Max tables use the same software?
Yes. Ultra tables in both lines run ArcCNC with SheetCAM, Inkscape and QCAD. Elite tables in both lines, plus the Arc Max Unlimited and Arc Max X, run FlashCut CNC. All of it is fully licensed and pre-installed with no subscription.
Can I upgrade an Arc Pro to an Arc Max later?
The frames are different, so the table itself does not convert. You can add FlashCut CNC to an existing Arclight table with a controller retrofit, and the same accessories are sold for both lines. If heavy plate is in your plan, buy the Arc Max frame now.
How much more does an Arc Max cost than an Arc Pro?
At the same size, an Arc Max Ultra 4×8 is $22,995 against $16,995 for the Arc Pro Ultra V3 4×8, a $6,000 step for the welded frame. An Arc Max Elite 4×8 is $33,995 against $26,995 for the Arc Pro Elite V3 4×8, a $7,000 step.
Keep Researching
- Choosing a CNC Plasma Table: The Complete Buyer’s Guide. Thickness is decision three of eight.
- What Can a CNC Plasma Table Cut? Thickness by Metal. The cutter sets the number; this article sets the frame.
- ArcCNC vs FlashCut CNC: Which Control System Should You Choose?. The Ultra-or-Elite decision in detail.
- What Plasma Cutter Do You Need for a CNC Table?. Pair the right Hypertherm system with the table.
- How Much Does a CNC Plasma Table Cost?. Every series and size, with what each includes.
- Compare all Arclight CNC plasma tables. Side by side.
Not Sure Which Frame? Tell Us What You Cut.
Send us your thickest regular plate, your sheet size and how many hours a day the table will run. We’ll tell you honestly whether an Arc Pro does the job or the Arc Max frame is worth it, and quote the whole system.
Lifetime tech support that follows the table · 30-day satisfaction guarantee · $500 locks in your price and your build slot