In cryotechnical helium-cooled plants, “potential separators” are used for the electrical separation of areas with different potentials. These are required to prevent the formation of undesirable paths of current which lead to operating problems and endanger personnel. As well as separating potential a vacuum seal must also be guaranteed within a helium-cooled pipework system. Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute for Technology (KIT) have succeeded in developing an axial potential separator made of structural elements which can be manufactured industrially which makes a vacuum seal possible as well as separating potential. The development of this type of potential separator means that fluctuations in production can be avoided and industrial production is possible.