Method for producing a metal insert to protect a leading edge made of a composite material

A process for producing a metal insert, for protecting a leading or trailing edge of a composite compressor blade of an aerospace machine, by die forging sheets and diffusion welding the sheets together, the method comprising:

• initially forming the sheets by die forging so the sheets resemble a shape of a suction side and a pressure side of the insert;
• producing a core taking a form of an internal cavity of the metal insert to be produced, a first side reproducing an internal shape of the suction side of the insert and a second side reproducing an internal shape of the pressure side of the insert, the two sides meeting at a tip reproducing an internal shape of the leading or trailing edge;
• positioning the sheets around the core, the sheets meeting at the tip of the core to lie parallel, and securely fastening an assembly of the sheets positioned around the core;
• placing the assembly under vacuum and welding the assembly shut;
• joining the assembly through solid state diffusion;
• cutting the assembly so as to extract the core and separate the insert;
• and
• producing an external profile of the insert using a final machining operation;
• wherein the two sides of the core meet at a tip reproducing the internal shape of the leading or trailing edge, and
• wherein the two sheets meet at the tip of the core to lie parallel and the solid state diffusion takes place through hot isostatic pressing.