A method for piercing metallic workpieces using a laser beam and associated laser processing machine, and computer program product

In a method for piercing a metal workpiece (6) at a puncture site (11) by means of a laser beam (5) and a process gas (7), both of which emerge from a laser machining nozzle (8), whereby during insertion around the injection site (11) around a recast (14) on the workpiece surface (12) is deposited according to the invention during insertion of the spacing of the laser machining nozzle (8) for recast (14) is continuously measured and modified at least one piercing parameters as a function of the measured distance.