Parts to build a vacuum pump

Vacuum pump parts

For our FRC robot, which is playing a soccer-like game, we need a way to possess the soccer ball while maneuvering on the field and over the mid-field bumps. We can’t pick the ball up off the field, and we can only continuously touch the rear 3 inches. We can also touch most of the ball (if we are very close to it) for 2 seconds at a time, every 2 seconds; in theory that is to kick the ball but I suppose we could design top or side grabbers.

The first design the team had was to use a vacuum. We were excited about that when we were thinking of a car or shop vac, but when we realized we had to *build* the vacuum… well, how do you do that?!? The first idea was to reverse a fan, which might work. But my morning Google search turned up this plan to build a vacuum pump. It is always better to have two options, and I think either might work.