A process for building up a leading edge of a machine component such as a leading edge of a turbine blade for a turbocharger includes forming a molten pool along the edge of the machine component, feeding a filler material in a solid state into the molten pool and melting the filler material via heat transfer between the molten pool and the filler material. A solid layer may be formed along the leading edge by cooling the molten pool. The process is applicable to remanufacturing damaged machine components having a plurality of blades with relatively thin leading edges.