Hmmm . . .
It would be interesting to compare your frame to another ZT0561 side by side. It's possible that yours is out of spec where the blade stop/thumb stud meets it and it's hitting harder than it should. It still shouldn't crack like that, but I'm curious why you'd get identical blade cracks.
The stud is hitting only on the steel liner side. I don't know if this is intended. I think it would be hard to get even stud engagement on a production knife.
The "studs" are actually the blade stop pins on this model. They are designed to hit the titanium framelock side (backside) and the titanium liner & G-10 on the front side stopping the blade in the proper position so the framelock will engage properly. They take a lot of abuse especially when you are flipping the blade open hard. Obviously some of the energy does transfer to the blade.
Hope they don't lose it! https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/cutting-edge/405011-attention-zero-tolerance-owners.htmlUpdate. ZT is sending me a prepaid UPS shipping label. They said they will need to evaluate the knife, but they might be able to make an exception for an exchange. I asked if it could be replaced with a 0562CF.
That's where I would concentrate my analysis were I investigating this case!
The cracked blade issue is not uncommon. It has been known to happen on the 0560, 0561, and 0562CF models. KAI has stated this happens due to improperly fitted blade stop pin. Personally I have a hard time believing that is the cause. I'm more inclined to believe that it is inherent in the design due to the frequency of this issue/problem. Could it be that the blade stock is to thin to take the abuse in the area where the stop pin is mounted?
It's plausible that their explanation is correct and that it an inherent problem in the design. If the design is such that a virtually undetectable error in fitting or locating that part cause this failure, there is a problem with the design. It could also be compounded by the Elmax being a little too hard in that spot, and thus brittle and prone to crack propagation. It could also be someone failing to debur and otherwise remove any stress risers from the hole into which the stop pin is pressed. Let's say there is a small nick in the radius of that hole, you press fit a pin that just a tad oversized, thus pre-stressing that spot. Then you whack it repeatedly by flipping the knife open (as it's designed to be done), you could make that crack.