Method for the thermal processing of a workpiece with a thermal processing machine

A method for thermal processing of a workpiece (1) with a thermal processing machine (2) which has a processing tool (3), which is displaceable relative to the workpiece (1) by a CNC controller (6) and, for fine tuning, by a distance controller (8), and a distance sensor (4) which is displaceable with the processing tool (3), wherein the following method steps are carried out in a fully automated manner:

• (a) setting up the thermal processing machine (2) by
• (aa) moving, by the CNC controller (6), the processing tool (3) into contact with the workpiece (1) and recording, by the CNC controller (6), a spatial position of a point on a workpiece surface (5),
• (bb) positioning, by the CNC controller (6), the processing tool (3) at a predetermined first distance h1 from the workpiece surface (5) and recording, in a module (7), an associated signal value of the distance sensor (4) as a first measured value,
• (cc) positioning, by the CNC controller (6), the processing tool (3) at a predetermined second distance h2 from the workpiece surface (5) and recording, in the module (7), an associated signal value of the distance sensor (4) as a second measured value,
• (dd) calibrating the distance controller (8), which comprises determining, by the module (7), a height derivative of a signal of the distance sensor and an amplification factor amp for the signal of the distance sensor (4) taking into account the first measured value, the second measured value, the first distance h1 and the second distance h2,
• (b) positioning the processing tool (3) at a predetermined working distance hcut from the workpiece surface (5), and
• (c) thermally processing the workpiece (1) by the processing tool (3) while the distance controller maintains a distance of the processing tool (3) from the workpiece surface (5) at the working distance hcut using the signal of the distance sensor (4) amplified by the amplification factor amp as a control variable.