Patent ID: 8578747

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a metal product comprising: providing a substantially flat metal sheet or plate; passing the substantially flat metal sheet or plate through a rolling mill having a reduction ranging from zero percent up to ten percent, wherein the rolling mill includes: at least one roll having an outer surface engraved with a riblet topography, wherein the riblet topography includes a multiplicity of adjacent longitudinal riblets, wherein each of the longitudinal riblets of the roll has a height ranging from about 25 μm to about 500 μm, and wherein each of the longitudinal riblets of the roll are evenly spaced a distance apart ranging from about 25 μm to about 500 μm, and at least one roll having an unaltered substantially flat outer surface; producing a substantially grooved metal sheet or plate that includes a multiplicity of adjacent permanently rolled longitudinal riblets running along at least a part of the surface to form a riblet top surface profile; anodizing the riblet top surface profile to coat the riblet top surface profile with an aluminum oxide film; applying an organic primer layer onto the aluminum oxide film; applying a topcoat layer over the organic primer layer; and obtaining the metal product.