This is mostly a question for Matthew Knott but I figured I would put it up as a forum question rather then as a private message because it may help someone else as well.
I was using my Cobar laser and after I started marking the part I looked at the computer screen and realized the text went about one inch outside of the marking area on the screen. Since I had already started it I decided to let it run. When the part was done the area that was outside of the marking area was as good as the area that was in the marking area.
With all that said I can get to my question. Is there any risk to the machine by going to far outside of the marking area? I assume at some point the part will be to far out of focus to mark which will ruin a part but I am more worried about possibly damaging something inside the galvo head if I go to far out. The reason I ask is in the past I have had to break a part jobs because they were just a bit to big to fit in the marking area and when those jobs come back up I would like to run them as one if I know the only thing I am risking is the part and not the laser.