National Tobacco Quality Supervision and Inspection Center: Explanation of Some Problems Related to E-Cigarette Inspection Samples

On May 10th, the National Tobacco Quality Supervision and Inspection Center recently issued an explanation on some issues related to e-cigarette inspection and testing business samples. The following is the full text:

 
Explanation of some problems related to the inspection and testing samples of electronic cigarettes

 
I. What are the precautions for the preparation of e-cigarette inspection samples?

 
A:

(1) The number of e-cigarette inspection samples shall meet the requirements of Chapter 4 of the Technical Specification for E-cigarette Inspection.

 
(2) the same sample refers to the same color, the same specification (model) of the sample.

 
(3) Testing of materials for electronic cigarettes is only for products with ceramic vaporization cores, and there is no need to prepare test samples of materials for electronic cigarettes for products without ceramic vaporization cores.

(4) When providing e-cigarette testing samples, we should prepare the charging cable and at least 4 product manuals that match the number of samples of e-cigarettes and smoking utensils. The product manuals should include starting protection instructions, working state instructions, battery specifications, etc.

 
II. How should the e-cigarette inspection samples be packaged?

Answer: Each sample is packaged separately according to the test content, and it is clearly indicated on the outer packaging, such as e-cigarette smoking utensils, releases, aerosols, materials for e-cigarettes and the sample information table corresponding to them one by one. The entrusted information and sample information table for e-cigarette inspection and testing need to be stamped with the official seal. According to the above requirements, put the prepared individual package samples in the same package.

 
3. What information should be sent electronically?

 
4. When will the delegation agreement be signed?

Answer: After receiving samples and sample information, the center will communicate with the entrusting party in time and sign the delegation agreement.

 
5. How to provide a charging interface in the sample production of pressure relief safety?

Answer: If there is an available position in the product structure to lead out the charging interface, lead out from this position as much as possible, such as the air inlet; If there is no available position to lead out the charging interface in the product structure such as disposable electronic cigarette, which will inevitably destroy the structural integrity, the charging interface should be provided on the basis of not destroying its basic structure, for example, the charging interface can be led out by punching the smallest hole at the bottom.

 
6. Can the current intensity be limited in the pressure relief safety test?

 
Answer: During the process of charging the batteries in electronic cigarettes to full charge, the laboratory will charge them according to the standard charging procedure recommended by the battery specification for products. However, when the batteries in fully charged electronic cigarettes are overcharged, the laboratory will strictly follow the overcharge method of National Standard 6.1.6 of Electronic Cigarettes, and only limit the overvoltage, not the current.

7. Does the thermocouple include a plug in the temperature test of the vaporization area?

A: There is no hard and fast requirement. You can provide it if it is convenient.

8. How to connect the thermocouple to the cartridges in the preparation of the temperature sample in the vaporization area? Does the oil need to be backfilled?

Answer: B.4.1 Sample preparation in Annex B of GB 41700-2022 E-cigarette specifies the following points: 1. E-cigarette liquid shall be removed as far as possible before thermocouples are arranged, or electronic cigarette appliances or cigarette cartridges not filled with e-cigarette liquid shall be used; 2. Use high-temperature resistant glue to bond the thermocouple to the position with the highest temperature of the heating body; 3. After the thermocouple is placed, try to restore the electronic cigarette or cigarette cartridge, and keep all functions normal. The above clause makes it clear that the thermocouple shall restore the smoke appliance or cartridges as much as possible after being placed at the highest temperature of the heating body, without backfilling the smoke oil.

 
IX. Does the sample of ceramic vaporization core contain heating wire?

 
Answer: The control of heavy metal migration is aimed at the whole ceramic vaporization core. The Technical Specification for Electronic Cigarette Testing clearly stipulates that the sample to be tested is the "ceramic vaporization core" before assembly, and the sample testing institution provided by the entrusting party will not carry out secondary splitting treatment.

 
X. How to prepare the reference smoke in the heavy metal migration method of ceramic vaporization core?

 
Answer: The composition and preparation method of the reference smoke liquid are clearly specified in the laboratory method that has passed the qualification certification (equivalent to the reference smoke liquid of electronic cigarette provided by the French standard XP D 90 300)