Damper Force–Velocity Curve
A damper force–velocity curve plots the force produced by a damper against the speed of its shaft during compression and rebound.
What it shows
The curve helps engineers see how quickly force builds at low shaft velocity, where valves change operating region, and how compression differs from rebound. A test may show separate accelerating and decelerating traces; the gap between them is hysteresis. The result depends on the dynamometer's stroke, frequency, temperature, sign convention, and averaging method, so two curves are not comparable unless the test conditions are known.
The horizontal axis is damper-shaft velocity, not vehicle speed. A sharp edge can produce rapid shaft motion even when the car is moving slowly. The curve also does not describe friction before motion starts, force changes through the stroke, thermal fade, or the complete vehicle response by itself.
For damper construction, valve behavior, and practical trade-offs, see Suspension dampers.