Evolv

Evolv LLC is manufacturer of custom ordered electronic cigarettes and primarily is known as a leader in vaping technology made possible through advances in electronic boards for e-cigarettes they design and produce. Based in Ohio, US Evolv offers a number of different chips all made in the US and exported worldwide[1][2] The closest competitor to an Evolv chip is a Yihi chip.[3]

History and product development

Evolv released the first "variable wattage" (variable power) e-cigarette on the market in 2010.[4] The Darwin, was able to output up to 12.7 W.[5] After the Darwin had paved the way, variable wattage soon displaced variable voltage as the default mode of control for advanced personal vaporizers. Retired in 2012,[6] the Darwin was the first and the last complete e-cigarette produced by Evolv.

It was followed by the DNA 12 (12 W), DNA 20D (20 W), and DNA 30D (30 W) modder's boards.[7] The DNA series are circuit boards used by other mod manufacturers to drive their e-cigarettes and control the output. The D in the model name indicates "display". Headless (with no display) DNA 20 and DNA 30 boards can be implemented by using a potentiometer to control the power, instead of using two input push buttons and a display. However, the headless models were never popular, and the concept was abandoned after the DNA 30.

The Evolv Kick (up to 10 W) and Kick II (up to 15 W) are small, cylindrical, headless control boards that the end user can drop into their tube mechanical mod, where it lays on top of the battery and effectively turns the mechanical mod into a regulated mod.[8] The Kick concept has been cloned by numerous other manufacturers.

The first temperature limiting ("temperature control") e-cigarette control board, the DNA 40 (40 W), was released by Evolv in 2014. In version 5 of the board a resistance lock was introduced.[9] Manufacturers including Hcigar and Vapor Shark have devices that use the DNA40 board.[9] There is also a 25 W version.[10] Unlike the previous boards, these models feature reverse battery protection and true step down functionality.[7] The main feature, however, is temperature coefficient of resistivity of nickel wire to approximate the temperature of the atomizer coil, thereby limiting the temperature to a range where harmful chemicals like acrolein and formaldehyde are not being produced in appreciable amounts. Competitors were quick to release their own temperature limiting devices after the DNA 40 had hit the market.[7]

The DNA series had been criticized for not being USB firmware upgradable, a feature offered by some competitors. The first batches of the DNA 40 board had display problems.[11] This negatively affected the sales and reputation of Evolv and other manufacturers down the line, and limited their market shares of the temperature control technology they had invented, even as more and more of their competitors began to adopt it. Temperature control offered customers their a new tool to help prevent dry hits from caused by undersaturated wicking material (a condition which has been shown in research studies to have adverse effects beyond the unpleasant flavor. Still only producing Evolv chips capable of 40 watts, a number of competitors advanced in market share by raising the wattage ceiling to new highs and thus Evolv was also received some criticism for making underpowered boards.

In 2015 Evolv released a 200W, temperature limiting board, called the DNA 200.[12] This was a significant leap beyond the stretches already made by others in available power. It was now firmware upgradable and some user customization is now possible.[12] This board includes an on-board micro USB plug for charging the batteries and upgrading the firmware. It has a 3S balance connector, as well as the primary battery input of previous boards.

The next chips Evolv designed were the DNA 166, DNA 75, and the DNA 250, a power regulated digital switch-mode DC-DC converter for personal vaporizers. It features Wattage Control, Temperature Protection, Preheat, Digital User Controls, OLED Screen, Onboard Buttons and Synchronous Rectification for maximum battery life and minimal heat generation.[13] The different wires covered by DNA chips went beyond nickel by 2016 included titanium as well as kanthal, nichrome and stainless steel (SS316L). The first color displays became available with the DNA 75c.

In the Spring of 2018 Evolv's DNA 250c became the first chip to offer a function called Replay[14] allowing the user to replicate the exact vape in flavor and warmth with each puff after selecting one they preferred. This technology was then added to the DNA 75c first through a firmware upgrade. Replay has exceeded the dry hit prevention capabilities of temperature control.

The first pod system to include Replay was introduced by Lost Vape using the new Evolv DNA GO chip and became available in August of 2018. [15]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "DNA Chip - Vapetrotter Global Vaping Wiki". Vapetrotter News. Retrieved 2018-02-07.
  2. ↑ "Best Evolv DNA Driven Mods of 2018". Spinfuel.
  3. ↑ "Box Mod Chips Compared - Evolv DNA vs YiHi SX chips | DIY Vape Mods". DIY Vape Mods. Retrieved 2018-09-30.
  4. ↑
    • B2 US patent 8820330 B2, John Bellinger & Brandon Ward, "Electronic vaporizer that simulates smoking with power control", published 2014-09-02, issued 2012-10-25, assigned to Evolv, Llc
  5. ↑ Darwin - ecigarette-mods.com
  6. ↑ Variable Wattage Patent Goes to Evolv LLC - hitcounterland.com
  7. 1 2 3 Spinfuel Staff (6 April 2015). "Is Temperature Control Vaping The Future?". Spinfuel Magazine. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  8. ↑ Review: Evolv Kick 2 - vapesquad.com
  9. 1 2 Spinfuel Staff (3 August 2015). "HCigar VT40 Evolv DNA40 Mod". Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  10. ↑ Temperature-controlled e-cigs: The next giant leap in harm reduction of nicotine use? - gizmag.com
  11. ↑ "DNA 40 s creen lockup return procedure" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  12. 1 2 Agent Vape (12 August 2015). "Volcano Ecigs announces new Lavabox DNA200". Racing Net Source, LLC. Retrieved 24 September 2015.
  13. ↑ "DNA 250 Chip - Vapetrotter Global Vaping Wiki". Vapetrotter News. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
  14. ↑ evolv. "dna250color" (PDF).
  15. ↑ "Lost Vape Orion DNA GO Pod Mod System Review". Spinfuel.
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