Damping

[Unhinged]

If you adjust shock absorbers rate of damping you are changing the damping force.
Why do so many refer to it as dampening?
I think I am right in saying this is incorrect.
Pedant moment over.

[GreenV8S]

Unhinged said:

I think I am right in saying this is incorrect.

Dampening means to make more damp. I think the term would normally be used in the context of making things wet. It seems a bit unusual to use it in the context of mechanical damping, but I wouldn't say it was wrong.

[Equus]

I can't see any problem with it.

We're talking about a device that lowers the level of excitement of a spring. In that respect, the terms 'damper', 'damping' and 'dampening' all have their root in the same etymological concept: same as you would talk about 'dampening someone's enthusiasm'... ultimately, it's just a metaphor.

[Unhinged]

Equus said:

I can't see any problem with it.

We're talking about a device that lowers the level of excitement of a spring. In that respect, the terms 'damper', 'damping' and 'dampening' all have their root in the same etymological concept: same as you would talk about 'dampening someone's enthusiasm'... ultimately, it's just a metaphor.

mmm. I see what you mean.
Still a google search for "damping" vs "dampening" tells me that "damping" is perhaps the best use of the word in context.
It's always going to annoy me that's for sure just like Nissan Jukes and people who drop litter

[CarsOrBikes]

Only when discussed by those with shock absorberners,

[tapkaJohnD]

Don't be wet.
JOhn

[NotBenny]

Dampening is incorrect. The two are not interchangeable, and I've never come across a vehicle dynamicist refer to dampening rates, dampening curves, dampeners etc etc.

Reminds me of when my wife leaves me a DIY/decorating job list and asks me to do the "fillering" (not filling: using filler, therefore "fillering").

[Equus]

NotBenny said:

Dampening is incorrect.

It's crap grammar, for sure, but given that most engineers are dyslexic and/or semi-literate at best, I wouldn't particularly lose sleep over it.