System and method for extruding parts having microstructures

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing extruded parts having microstructures comprising:

• a support structure;
• an extrusion chamber carried by said support structure for receiving feedstock and melting said feedstock above a feedstock melting temperature;
• and,
• a die carried by said support structure having die microstructures disposed on an inner surface of said die, said die microstructures having a plurality of microfeatures each having an upper surface and a lower surface;
• a lower channel included in said die having walls having an interior angles of incident in relation to the upper surface less than 90° , a width having a range of between 0.25 to 1.25 mm and a height having a range of 0.25 to 1.25 mm;
• said melted feedstock being forced through said die to produce an extrudate having extrudate microstructures;
• and,
• whereas the resulting extrudate microstructures have a wall angle at least 90° and have a general pillar shaped cross-section.

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing extruded parts having microstructures comprising:

• a die body;
• an opening defined in said die body having an inner surface;
• a plurality of die microstructures disposed on said inner surface of said die body, said die microstructures having a plurality of microfeatures each having an upper surface and a lower surface, said microstructures each include a first wall having an angle of incident of less than 90° in relation to said upper surface, a first arc defined in said lower surface adjacent to a second arc defined in said lower surface and a peak disposed between said first and said second arc;
• an upper cavity defined in said upper surface;
• and,
• said die microstructures and said upper cavity are arranged around the die in an alternating pattern so that said extrude part include a physical property taken from the group consisting of:
• hydrophobicity, decreased aerodynamic drag coefficients, reduced friction, decreased adhesion, and oleophobicity.