Method and system for quantifying dynamic response characteristics of a real-time damper

A test system for quantifying dynamic response characteristics of a real-time damper, the test system comprising:

• a shock press having a stationary member and a moveable member, wherein the shock press is configured to receive the real-time damper between the stationary member and the moveable member;
• a force transducer coupled to the stationary member and configured to measure a force component along a longitudinal axis of the real-time damper;
• and
• a test controller configured to:
• transmit motion control signals to the shock press to thereby stroke the moveable member and the real-time damper with a constant velocity between extremes of stroke;
• transmit a test drive signal to the real-time damper for a calibrated test duration, wherein the test drive signal has a calibrated test frequency, dwell points at multiple calibrated frequencies, or a swept range of test frequencies;
• receive the force component measured by the force transducer while transmitting the test drive signal;
• and
• quantify the dynamic response characteristics of the real-time damper over the calibrated test duration, including recording the dynamic response characteristics in a memory device.