Airfoil devices, leading edge components, and methods of making

1. A method of making a leading edge component for an airfoil device having a shape substantially conforming to an airfoil, the method comprising:

providing a first elongate sheet having a shape conforming to a surface on one of a suction side or a pressure side of the airfoil and comprising an elongate edge;

providing a second elongate sheet having a shape conforming to a surface on the other of the suction side or the pressure side of the airfoil and comprising an elongate edge;

welding together the first elongate sheet and the second elongate sheet at least along their respective elongate edges in such a way as to form a leading edge base structure comprising a weld and a convex outer surface, the weld extending along a length of the convex outer surface; and

applying a plurality of material deposits onto an outer surface of the leading edge base structure in such a way as to cover the weld and form the leading edge component.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein any width-height cross-section along the length of the leading edge base structure includes a surface portion forming an arc having a substantially uniform radius of curvature.

3. The method of claim 2 , further wherein, for any width-height cross-section along the length of the leading edge base structure, the weld is positioned along a center portion of the arc.

4. The method of claim 2 , further wherein, for any width-height cross-section along the length of the leading edge base structure, the weld is positioned along a center portion or an off-center portion of the arc.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein any width-height cross-section along the length of the leading edge base structure includes a generally rectangular-shaped surface, a generally triangular-shaped surface, a generally flat surface, or a generally step-shaped surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , further wherein the shape of the first elongate sheet substantially conforms to a first portion of a leading edge of the airfoil and the shape of the second elongate sheet substantially conforms to a second portion of the leading edge of the airfoil.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first elongate sheet and the second elongate sheet each concludes with a substantially flat face, and further wherein the first elongate sheet and the second elongate sheet are welded together along their respective substantially flat faces.

8. The method of claim 1 , further wherein the formed leading edge component comprises a near net shape.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising at least partially machining the leading edge component.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the leading edge component to an airfoil body to form the airfoil device.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the airfoil device is an aircraft engine fan blade.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the airfoil body is formed of a substantially non-metal based material.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the leading edge component is formed of a substantially metal based material and the airfoil body is formed of a substantially non-metal based material.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein the leading edge component is formed of one or more first materials and the airfoil body is formed one or more second materials, wherein the one or more first materials are partially or entirely different from the one or more second materials.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material deposits are provided onto the convex outer surface of the leading edge base structure using an additive manufacturing technique.

16. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additive manufacturing technique comprises laser cladding.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of welding together the first elongate sheet and the second elongate sheet comprises laser welding.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising forming a plurality of leading edge components, and including the plurality of leading edge components in an aircraft engine.

19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the leading edge component is formed of a substantially metal based material.

20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of material deposits are metallic.

21. A device, comprising:

a plurality of airfoil devices each having a shape substantially conforming to an airfoil, each of the plurality of airfoil devices comprising an airfoil body and a leading edge component situated on the airfoil body;

wherein, for each of the plurality of airfoil devices, the leading edge component comprises:

a leading edge base structure comprising a first elongate sheet, a second elongate sheet, and a weld coupling the first elongate sheet to the second elongate sheet, the weld extending across substantially all of a length of the leading edge base structure; and

a plurality of material deposits disposed on an outer surface of the leading edge base structure and extending along the length thereof, wherein the plurality of material deposits are applied directly onto the outer surface of the leading edge base structure in such a way as to cover the weld and form the leading edge component;

wherein the first elongate sheet has a shape substantially conforming to a surface on one of a suction side or a pressure side of the airfoil and the second elongate sheet has a shape conforming to a surface on the other of the suction side or the pressure side of the airfoil.

22. The device of claim 21 , wherein each of the plurality of airfoil devices is a fan blade.

23. The device of claim 21 , wherein the device is an aircraft engine or a turbine engine.

24. The device of claim 21 , wherein the first and second elongate sheets are formed of a metal or metal based material.

25. The device of claim 21 , wherein each leading edge component is formed of a substantially metal based material.

26. The device of claim 21 , wherein, for each of the plurality of airfoil devices, the airfoil body is formed of a substantially non-metal based material.

27. The device of claim 21 , further wherein, for each of the plurality of airfoil devices, the leading edge component is formed of a substantially metal based material and the airfoil body is formed of a substantially non-metal based material.

28. The device of claim 21 , wherein, for each of the plurality of airfoil devices, the leading edge component is formed of one or more first materials and the airfoil body is formed one or more second materials, wherein the one or more first materials are partially or entirely different from the one or more second materials.

29. The device of claim 21 , wherein the plurality of material deposits comprises metallic material.

30. A method of making a leading edge component for being situated on an airfoil body, the method comprising:

providing a first elongate metallic sheet having a shape conforming to a surface on one of a suction side or a pressure side of the airfoil body and comprising an elongate edge;

providing a second elongate metallic sheet having a shape conforming to a surface on the other of the suction side or the pressure side of the airfoil body and comprising an elongate edge;

welding together the first elongate metallic sheet and the second elongate metallic sheet at least along their respective elongate edges in such a way as to form a leading edge base structure comprising a weld and a convex outer surface, the weld extending along a length of the convex outer surface; and

applying a plurality of metallic layers directly onto an outer surface of the leading edge base structure in such a way as to cover the weld, whereby the leading edge component.