First note - The CNC Plasma Cutter is not ours - it's Ingenuity's and the compressor is John K's. DON'T MESS WITH IT WITHOUT PERMISSION. This Documentation is for reference purposes/convenient to follow documentation.
Design your file in CAD/Inkscape/take your pick.
CAM up SVG or similar file in SheetCAM or the like.
Figure out feeds/speeds for your material
Save to a USB flash drive.
Power on stuff
Machine & computer
Compressor (check dryer & valve as well), Make sure it's at decent pressure, and check continually during a sizeable job
Plasma Cutter - set Amps appropriately for material
Situate material on plasma table. Make sure it won't get launched if the probe hits an edge, etc.
Copy files from USB to NGC files directory on Desktop
Run LinuxCNC/AXIS/whatever you wanna call it
Check Physical E-Stop/Virtual E-Stop/Machine Power.
Home axes - Home button
Drive to fairly close to material origin (arrow keys/page up & page down for Z)
Touch off to X/Y origin (hint: touch off Y first, then X. Saves you a click)
Dry Run - Leave Plasma disabled (default) and run the program. Should drive around at safe height and make the moves it would do normally.
Satisfied with the dry run? Enable the plasma and go for it.
When finished, drive back close to (but not all the way) home. Make sure a scrap piece is under the business end of the plasma cutter (when the machine is de-energized the business end drops).
Shut down computer before powering down.