Frame Cold Working??

[INTENSEe]

I have a 2001 Merlin Titanium Mtb and I have been taking a close look at the indentation on the drive side chainstay. I called and asked merlin about it and they called the "dent" cold working and went on to say that it is a standard process many bike companies take to make sure that XT and XTR chainrings have clearance. I understand that now I can have a 46t large chainring but so can my friend who has the exact same frame as I do. As you can see his chainstay has no cold working. What IM trying to say is does anyone know if the coldworking lowers the chainstay strength? does it mean the frame builder made a mistake and had to cold work to correct. Do frame builder use this technique happily? Sorry for all the questions I just want to understand what looks to be a dent in a frame that was the same price as my friends. Thanks for the help or looking. I created this graphic to show a clear picture of what IM asking.
http://members.roadfly.com/erik/chainstay.jpg

[Mauriceman]

Many bike makers squeeze the right chainstay for clearance, it's common. It PROBABLY doesn't affect the strength THAT much...

[Goride]

Cold working is a metallurgical/engineering term for working a metal at well below its heat treating or welding temperature. It can improve surface hardness on some materials quite a bit. Bead blasting of a handlebar is a form of cold working that makes the surface harder and more uniform, making it harder for cracks to form and propagate. Depending on your materials, cold working can allow a builder to alter tube shapes and material properties. I really wouldn't worry about your chainstay indentation. Thats very common on frames. Merlin knows what they're doing. I doubt that they would put their reputation in jeopardy by sending out an accidentaly dented frame to someone and trying convince them it was meant to be there when it truly wasn't.

-brad