Atlas Copco supplies oil-sealed rotary vane pump GVS 100 A for manufacturing carbon parts

Cologne, February 2026: In modern racing, weight, aerodynamics, and the materials used in vehicles determine victory or defeat. For the Formula Student racing team Mainfranken Racing e.V. at the Technical University of Würzburg-Schweinfurt, the production of carbon parts is also a central component of vehicle optimization. As part of a design competition, the crew develops its new model every year, relying on state-of-theart manufacturing processes. This also applies to the vacuum technology from Atlas Copco, which is used to produce the lightweight, high-quality carbon components of the racing cars.

To ensure maximum quality and reproducibility in the process, the racing team uses the oil-sealed rotary vane vacuum pump GVS 100 A sponsored by Atlas Copco Vacuum. “The robust, compact pump ensures uninterrupted operation and stable, reliable vacuum performance – even under the most demanding conditions. Its ease of use, quiet operation, and low maintenance requirements round off the package of advantages," explains Alexander Braun Sales Engineer from Atlas Copco Vacuum in Germany.

“Production begins with cutting and applying several layers of carbon fiber fabric, which are impregnated with epoxy resin,” reports Marius Hofmann Chief Technical Officer from the Mainfranken Racing Team. These layers are carefully stacked on top of each other, with the orientation of the fibers varying depending on the direction of stress. “In the next step, the component is either placed in a vacuum chamber or packed airtight with a special vacuum film”, he added.

The GVS 100 A from Atlas Copco generates a stable vacuum that evacuates the air from the chamber or film package. “And this step is crucial, because the vacuum removes air pockets that would later lead to structural weaknesses such as microcracks in the component and ultimately to defects,” argues Marius Hofmann. At the same time, the negative pressure causes the resin to penetrate the fibers evenly and excess resin to be squeezed out – this increases the fiber volume fraction, which in turn improves the mechanical properties of the components.

Following complete evacuation, the parts are cured at high temperatures for around twelve hours to achieve their final strength and dimensional stability. The result is a highquality, lightweight, and extremely resilient carbon component that can withstand the high demands and material stresses of racing.

The combination of innovative vacuum technology and student engineering skills impressively demonstrates how important reliable tools are in the manufacture of highperformance components. The Atlas Copco GVS 100 A not only enables precise lamination processes, but also promotes technical training and progress in racing – and that is a real gain for the Mainfranken Racing e.V. team.

• Oil separation to minimize oil vapors in the exhaust air
• Low maintenance, low noise level
• Suitable for continuous operation between atmospheric and final pressure
• Compact design, easy to install, high reliability
• Maximum efficiency in vacuum generation.