As　a　promising　device　of　vibration　isolation　for　rocket　engine　turbopumps,　turbine　engines,　and　other　kinds　of　rotordynamic　applications,　the　elastic　porous　metal　mesh　damper　(MMD)　has　drawn　large　attention　from　researchers.　It　exhibits　higher　load　capacity　and　environmental　adaptivity　than　traditional　viscoelastic　damping　materials　owing　to　the　excellent　combination　of　metallic　properties　and　the　rubber-like　damping　performance.　However,　the　design　of　a　metal　mesh　damper　relies　heavily　on　the　trial-and-error　methodology　for　tuning　fabrication　parameters,　which　prevents　it　from　widespread　use　in　rotor-bearing　applications.　Therefore,　efforts　are　directed　toward　forging　an　explicit　link　between　fabrication　parameters　and　the　dynamic　behaviors　of　MMDs　in　the　present　work.　Quasistatic　and　dynamic　mechanical　tests　are　carried　out　to　help　determine　the　primary　factor　that　influences　the　damping　performance　of　the　MMD　and　to　demonstrate　how　the　dynamic　behaviors　of　MMDs　evolve　with　the　fabrication　parameters.　Furthermore,　two　different　modeling　methodologies,　i.e.,　the　FE　method　and　the　mixed　damping　approach,　are　used　to　predict　the　hysteresis　behaviors　of　the　dampers.　The　latter　method　not　only　properly　reproduces　the　experimental　results　but　also　makes　it　possible　to　build　an　intuitive　connection　between　the　fabrication　procedures　and　the　dynamic　mechanical　behaviors　of　the　MMDs.　The　orthogonal　test　results　determine　that　the　mesh　density　plays　a　dominant　role　in　controlling　both　the　load　capacity　and　damping　performance　of　the　MMDs.　By　integrating　mesh　density　and　motion　amplitude　into　the　expression　of　parameters　including　stiffness　coefficient,　damping　coefficient,　and　damping　component　factor,　the　mixed　damping　model　demonstrates　excellent　predictive　accuracy　under　different　excitation　conditions.　©　2021　Yichuan　Shao　et　al.