has anybody

Pishta, Good reply!
I can't imagine any steel forging, or even a "lowly" cast piece taking a permanent "set".
Temporary maybe, and as you said, put it in place and allow it to "relax".
Didn't anyone ever tell you guys to "rotate" your stock.?.?.?(LOL)
Nonetheless, whether we buy into it or not, most of us I'm guessing won't leave a crank just lying flat somewhere...Me included (well,not for too long at least...may end up kicking it barefoot or something).

Oh, and the rotor thing... I always thought that was just a sales pitch to make more money on low quality Chinese parts... I've used lots of these things over the years on many vehicles, without surfacing, and never once gotten one that pulsed or anything.