You move to the cut start point, detect the metal surface, back off to pierce height (the molten metal is going to splash back until you are through) burn through, come down to cut height, move away, detect the Voltage across the "flame", adjust the flying height to try and maintain that Voltage/height.

If nothing has changed since I last looked, people assume the only way to achieve a preset cut and pierce height is to put and enormous stepper motor over the torch which makes adjusting the flying height very tricky.

Americans believe that only Hypertherm Finecut torches are worth having and if you don't fit a water table to catch the dust you aren't taking it seriously.

How's that?