Equipment and process for sheet metal reconsolidation

Methods for consolidating scrap metal into a sheet metal for subsequent use are disclosed. The methods can include forming a container, such as a pipe or tube, out of a sheet metal such that one end of the container is closed and the other is open. The scrap metal can then be placed into the container, even without pre-treating the scrap metal. Oxygen can be removed from at internal, receiving cavity of the formed container, such as by introducing a gas such as argon or nitrogen, into the container, and, if desired, the open end of the container can be sealed. The combination or the container made from sheet metal and the scrap metal can be rolled bonded to form a consolidated sheet metal that includes both the original sheet metal and the scrap metal. Systems for performing these methods, as well as the consolidated metal, are also described.