Damping

Without external excitation, oscillations are progressively suppressed or damped by resistances to the motion. All real-world systems contain inherent damping. In physical systems damping is produced by friction or internal energy losses. Frequently, damping is intentionally imposed as a controlling mechanism, such as in automotive suspension systems which are routinely subjected to external excitation and where undamped vibration is highly undesirable. In supply chain management it may be necessary to apply re-ordering strategies which dampen the tendency to adjust ordering patterns rapidly and excessively in response to perceived changes in customer demand.