A method and apparatus for manufacturing a superconductor wire has a wire take-up spool (16) and a feed speed control spool (12). A wire substrate (22) is taken from the feed speed control spool (12) and onto the take-up spool (16) as the wire take-up spool (16) is rotated. The wire (22) passes through a container (36) which holds a diffusion barrier material (50), where the diffusion barrier material (50) is electrophoretically deposited onto the wire substrate (22) and subsequently sintered. The wire (22) is also passed through a container (36a) which holds a superconductor material suspended in solution (38a), and a layer of the superconductor material (70) is electrophoretically deposited onto the diffusion barrier (50). The grains of the superconductor layer (70) are then magnetically aligned and sintered. Also, a silver coating (76) is electrophoretically deposited onto the superconductor layer (70) and sintered. A diffusion bonding inhibitor material (78) is then applied to the silver coating (76). Then, the silver-coated superconductor wire is spooled and heated to 400°C for one day to oxidize the superconductor layer (70).