216. As an engineer of a slow-speed diesel powered vessel, you note that the indicator card diagrams have a flat horizontal profile around TDC. To rectify this, what would be your best course of action?

A higher spring constant prevents the indicator piston from reaching its mechanical limit at peak pressure, resolving the flat profile observed around TDC. The indicator's pressure-to-displacement relationship is unaffected by engine RPM, and a softer spring would exacerbate the issue.