Basic Knowledge and Structure Design of Disposable Vape

Having a basic knowledge about vape manufacturing can help you find a better vape manufacturer for vape OEM. In this post, we are going to introducing the structure of disposable vape.

Classification of disposable atomizers

1. Distinguished by the resistance value of the heating, atomizers can have:

• ordinary resistance (3.0±0.2 ohm), 
• low resistance (2.6±0.2 ohm);

2. Distinguished by the diameter of the atomizer: atomizers can have: 

• ∮9.2mm, 
• ∮8.5mm, 
• ∮8.0mm,
• ∮7.2mm;

3. Distinguished by the internal assembly structure: YW process (welding process), NW process (spring nickel-chromium wire + no welding process) and TW process (machine-wound heating wire + no welding process);

Other categories include:

• Soft nozzle cover (silicone nozzle cover).
• Hard nozzle cover.
• Thread specifications (M8, M7).
• Internal and external thread.

Characteristics of disposable atomizers

1. One-time use, discarded after use;

2. It is easy to use and can be used in conjunction with the battery thread;

3. Reliable performance, good taste and pure taste;

4, the price is cheap and affordable, cost-effective;

5. Many types, diameters, different numbers of mouths, and different tastes can be designed according to customer needs.

The structure of the disposable atomizer

The disposable atomizer has a built-in nozzle cover, atomizing sleeve, oil storage cotton, glass fibre core, threaded sleeve, electrode ring, cotton cloth, glass fibre tube, heating wire, and an insulating ring.

The threaded sleeve and the electrode ring connect the battery’s positive and negative electrodes. They are connected to the two ends of the heating wire, respectively. When the battery switch is turned on, the heating wire starts to heat, atomizing the e-liquid on the glass fibre core, producing a smoke similar to actual smoke. Smoke, that’s how atomizers work.

Integrated cigarette working process

1. Add nickel-chromium wire, dip in

2. Winding nickel-chromium wire + glass fibre core

3. Measure the nickel-chromium wire, wear the oil plug, and check the nickel-chromium wire

4. Play silicone, wrap cotton, and install steel pipe

5. Measure the controller, wear the microphone head seat

6. Weld the controller to the battery core and wrap it with adhesive paper

7. Install heat shrink tube, weld butt, heat shrink

8. Apply silica gel, install the battery cell with a steel sleeve, and apply the first shot of e-liquid

9. Inject the second shot of e-liquid, install the nozzle cover, lampshade, and smoke test

The working process of the atomizer

1. Processing heating wire components

2. Install insulating cup and heating wire

3. Install the electrode cup and measure the resistance

4. Install the glass fibre tube and play the silica gel

5. Pack cotton with atomizing sleeve

6. Play silicone, press thread sleeve

7. Resistance test + suction test

8. Single product packaging

Design of Disposable atomizers

1. Design and selection of heating wire

The heating wire assembly consists of nickel-chromium wire and a glass fibre core. The glass fibre core is the oil-conducting component, which can provide e-liquid for the heating wire, and the nickel-chromium wire is the heating component, which can atomize the e-liquid to form smoke when heated.

The heating wire components currently used in disposable atomizers mainly include the spring nickel-chromium (NW) and machine-wound heating (TW) process.

The spring nickel-chromium wire is first made of nickel-chromium wire as a spring, and then the glass fibre core is passed through the inner hole of the spring to form a heating wire assembly; due to the large diameter tolerance of the glass fibre core, the contact between the glass fibre core and the nickel-chromium wire is not close enough. Therefore, the smoke volume of the process atomizer is not large enough, and the taste is not pure enough.

Commonly used nickel-chromium wires are ￠0.10, ￠0.12, ￠0.14, and ￠0.15.

            R=ρ*L/S

The resistance is inversely proportional to the cross-sectional area of ​​the conductor, so the smaller the diameter of the nickel-chromium wire, the higher the resistance per unit length of the nickel-chromium wire. When the same current passes, the heating efficiency is also higher, and the amount of smoke generated is more significant.

The TW series atomizers use a 0.12-gauge nickel-chromium wire, while the NW series use a 0.15-gauge nickel-chromium wire. Therefore, the TW series atomizers with 3.0-ohm resistance also have a more significant amount of smoke than the NW series 2.5-ohm atomizers. The reason is that the heating wire has high heating efficiency, concentrated heat, high energy utilization rate and a large amount of smoke.

Commonly used glass fibre cores are ￠1.0, ￠1.5, ￠2.0 and ￠2.5, several standard specifications.

Heating power of heating wire:

            P=U2 / R

The lower the resistance, the greater the power of the heating wire, the more heat the heating wire provides, and the greater the amount of smoke.

To meet the needs of different customers, the atomizer has two high and low resistance specifications. The TW series has two specifications of 3.0±0.2 ohms and 2.6±0.2 ohms, and the NW series has two specifications of 2.3±0.2 ohms and 2.5±0.2 ohms.

2, The design of the amount of oil injection

The oil filling amount of e-juice depends on the LengthLength and diameter of the atomizer. At present, the oil filling amount of our disposable atomizer is 0.4ml–1.3ml, etc.;

The number of effective puffs = the amount of e-juice filling / the amount of e-juice consumed per puff (mouth);

According to experience, the amount of e-liquid consumed per puff is 0.003-0.004ml, the high resistance is about 0.003ml per puff, and the low resistance is about 0.004ml per puff.

Design the oil filling amount of the atomizer according to the experience value and customer needs.

3. Design of oil storage cotton

The oil storage part of the atomizer is mainly oil storage cotton, and there is a cotton cloth between the oil storage cotton and the glass fibre tube.

The cotton cloth has a robust oil absorption capacity, which can not only absorb the oil of the oil storage cotton and conduct it to the glass fibre core but also prevent the excess oil of the oil storage cotton from permeating outward too quickly, resulting in oil leakage. Therefore, the cotton cloth has both oil guides. The role of, but also the role of oil resistance.

The oil storage cotton is a kind of fibrous mesh porous material. We use its capillary effect to absorb the oil inside the oil storage cotton without leaking outside the atomizer. It is the leading oil storage component.

According to the long-term verification results of testers, the oil filling volume of the disposable atomizer is within 75% of the importance of the oil storage cotton, and there will be no oil leakage. If the upper limit is exceeded, the probability of oil leakage will increase. The formula for calculating the oil storage capacity of the disposable atomizer product is as follows:

    Oil injection amount = S cotton cross-section x L cotton length x 75%

               =π(R steel pipe radius²- R glass fibre pipe radius²) x L cotton length x75%

Note: The volume of the oil storage cotton refers to the volume of the cotton cloth after being compressed inside the atomizing sleeve, that is, the volume between the atomizing sleeve and the glass fibre tube, not the volume when the cotton is unfolded.

4. The design of the atomizing sleeve

The atomizing sleeve is the package of the disposable atomizing sleeve, which encapsulates the heating wire, oil storage cotton, threaded sleeve, nozzle cover and other components together to form a product.

5. Material selection of atomizing sleeve

The material of the atomizing sleeve can be a 304 stainless steel tube or PC, PP plastic tube.

The wall thickness of the steel pipe can be made as thin as 0.2mm, and the structure is firm and reliable, which can provide more oil filling space and make the product more streamlined.

The advantage of the plastic tube is that the material is lighter and more elastic, and it feels more similar to real cigarettes. The wall thickness of the plastic pipe is generally 0.3-0.6mm, and the wall thickness is thicker than the steel pipe. In addition, the plastic pipe is easy to deform, and the length of the threaded sleeve is longer than that of the steel pipe and is not strong, resulting in a waste of part of the space and reducing the amount of oil injection.

6. Length design of atomizing sleeve

Atomizing sleeve length=A+B+C+D

   = Fitting size of nozzle cover + Gap between cotton and nozzle cover + LengthLength of oil storage cotton + Fitting size of a threaded sleeve

7. Length design of atomizing sleeve

Nozzle cover matching size: The nozzle cover has a soft nozzle cover (silicone material) and a hard nozzle cover (ABS material). The matching size of the soft nozzle cover is 4mm, and the matching size of the hard nozzle cover is 2.5mm;

The gap between cotton and suction nozzle cover: There must be a particular gap between the oil storage cotton and the suction nozzle cover to prevent the oil in the oil storage cotton from being directly sucked into the nozzle. Generally, this gap is 2-5mm;

Oil storage cotton length: The LengthLength is calculated according to the oil filling amount. The glass fibre tube is required to be 0-1mm higher than the oil storage cotton;

The matching size of the threaded sleeve: the matching size of the externally threaded sleeve is generally 3-3.5mm, and the matching length of the internally threaded sleeve is generally about 5.6 mm.

8. Packaging design

E-juice is easy to absorb, so the atomizer must be sealed and packaged before shipment to prevent the e-juice from drinking water and causing oil leakage. Commonly used packaging is as follows:

1. Atomizers that need to be put into the cigarette case: mouthpiece cover sealing sticker + sealing sleeve M2, sealing sleeve M1 + sealing sleeve S, etc.;

2. Atomizers packaged in PE bags or thermoplastic films: silicone sleeves Y/4237 silicone sleeves C/4237 silicone sleeves B, etc.