Additive manufacturing feedstock production system for reactive wire and related methods

A method for making an additive manufacturing feedstock, the method comprising:

• outputting a plurality of reactive metal foils respectively from a plurality of feedstock supplies;
• combining the plurality of reactive metal foils into a combined plurality of reactive metal foils with a first combined thickness;
• compressing the combined plurality of reactive metal foils to a second combined thickness less than the first combined thickness;
• segmenting and stacking the combined plurality of reactive metal foils into a stacked plurality of reactive metal foils;
• repeatedly compressing the stacked plurality of reactive metal foils into a compressed stacked plurality of reactive metal foils with a stacked thickness equal to the second combined thickness;
• and
• segmenting the compressed stacked plurality of reactive metal foils into a wire feedstock.

An additive manufacturing feedstock production system comprising:

• a plurality of feedstock supplies configured to respectively output a plurality of reactive metal foils;
• a transition roller downstream from the plurality of feedstock supplies and configured to combine the plurality of reactive metal foils into a combined plurality of reactive metal foils with a first combined thickness;
• a work roller downstream from the transition roller and configured to compress the combined plurality of reactive metal foils to a second combined thickness less than the first combined thickness;
• a first mechanical processor downstream from the work roller and configured to
• segment and stack the combined plurality of reactive metal foils into a stacked plurality of reactive metal foils, and
• feed the stacked plurality of reactive metal foils into the work roller;
• the work roller configured to repeatedly compress the stacked plurality of reactive metal foils into a compressed stacked plurality of reactive metal foils with a stacked thickness equal to the second combined thickness;
• and
• a second mechanical processor configured to segment the compressed stacked plurality of reactive metal foils into a wire feedstock.