A vehicle including an embossed surface for improving aerodynamic characteristics includes a front bumper member provided at a lower portion of a front surface of a vehicle body of the vehicle. On a surface of a side surface portion of the front bumper member, the embossed surface having a directional pattern for assisting an airflow to direct in one direction along the surface is formed. The one direction is raised rearward relative to a front-rear direction of the vehicle body.

Part comprising a wall which comprises a first zone (541), a first zone (541) and the second zone (542), a network of riblets being formed on the first zone (541), the second zone (542) and also on the transition zone (54t) so as to reduce the drag of the part when a flow of air flows along said wall; the height, the width and the spacing of the riblets formed on the transition zone (54t) changing along said transition zone (54t) so as to pass from the height, width and spacing of the riblets formed on the first zone at a first end of the transition zone to the height, width and spacing of the riblets formed on the second zone (542) at a second end of the transition zone (54t), the transition zone (54t) comprising a central portion on which the riblets comprise on one hand the height and the width that are respectively equal to the height and width of the riblets on the first zone (541), and on the other hand a spacing equal to the spacing of the riblets of the second zone (542).

[Object] To provide a riblet structure that increases resistance reducing performance and is easily manufacturable, and an object including such a structure on a surface thereof. [Solving Means] This riblet structure includes a plurality of wave-shaped riblets on a surface thereof, in which each of the riblets has a smaller peak height as an angle formed between a ridge line and a fluid flow direction becomes larger, a width between peak bases in a direction orthogonal to the fluid flow direction becomes smaller as the angle becomes larger, and an angle formed between a slope of a peak of the riblet and the surface at the peak base or a curvature at the peak base is identical at any position in a cross-sectional shape in the direction orthogonal to the fluid direction.

Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that provide multiple functional benefits when applied to an object. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that provide efficiency gains to an object in dynamic motion in a fluid medium through aerodynamic/hydrodynamic skin friction drag reduction. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that additionally provide functional benefits to an object in a static, non-moving state as well as a dynamic state—namely super-hydrophobicity, light absorption, sound/radar absorption and heat dissipation. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be molded into the surface of an object. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be added to the surface of an object though a secondary forming operation (ie machining, laser engraving). Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be attached to the surface of an object using an adhesive backed thin film that has been molded/cast with unique microstructured surfaces. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that are composed of unique tile-like individual elements that can be assembled as a unique continuous array on an object.

Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that provide multiple functional benefits when applied to an object. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that provide efficiency gains to an object in dynamic motion in a fluid medium through aerodynamic/hydrodynamic skin friction drag reduction. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that additionally provide functional benefits to an object in a static, non-moving state as well as a dynamic state—namely super-hydrophobicity, light absorption, sound/radar absorption and heat dissipation. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be molded into the surface of an object. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be added to the surface of an object though a secondary forming operation (ie machining, laser engraving). Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that can be attached to the surface of an object using an adhesive backed thin film that has been molded/cast with unique microstructured surfaces. Microstructured surface development three dimensional form solutions that are composed of unique tile-like individual elements that can be assembled as a unique continuous array on an object.

A turbine engine can comprise a fan section, compressor section, a combustion section, and a turbine section in axial flow arrangement. At least one of the fan section and compressor section can include an airfoil with a leading edge, and a plurality of riblets can be arranged on the leading edge.

A method of micro-texturing a substrate surface is disclosed, including printing a maskant on the substrate surface to define exposed surface zones on the substrate surface. The method further includes forming a micro-texture on the substrate surface by removing material from the exposed surface zones, and removing the maskant from the substrate surface.

In one embodiment, a method for reducing drag includes forming a smooth surface on a first portion of a physical object. The method also includes forming periodic riblets on a second portion of the physical object. The second portion of the physical object is adjacent to the first portion of the physical object. Each riblet of the periodic riblets of the second portion of the physical object is depressed below a plane of the smooth surface of the first portion of the physical object. The method further includes generating a flow over the periodic riblets of the second portion of the physical object and over the smooth surface of the first portion of the physical object. A length of each riblet of the periodic riblets runs parallel to a direction of the flow.

In one embodiment, a method for reducing drag includes forming first periodic riblets on a smooth surface of a physical object and forming second periodic riblets on the smooth surface of the physical object. The method further includes generating a flow over the first and second periodic riblets of the physical object. Each first periodic riblet comprises a first transition region at a first end of each first periodic riblet and a second transition region at a second end of each first periodic riblet. Each second periodic riblet comprises a first transition region at a first end of each second periodic riblet and a second transition region at a second end of each second periodic riblet. Each second transition region at the second end of each first periodic riblet overlaps each first transition region at the first end of each second periodic riblet. A length of each riblet of the first and second periodic riblets runs parallel to a direction of the flow.

A method of making a master cure tool for applying a texture to an aerodynamic surface includes the steps of: providing a foil which is metallic and has a textured surface; applying the foil to a forming surface of a rigid forming tool which is compound curved, and plastically deforming the foil to conform to the forming surface, so as to define a foil layer; annealing the foil layer using heat or a combination of heat and pressure; and bonding the foil layer to a support body, thereby defining the master cure tool.