Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the intimus 32 CC3 rated P-3 or P-4?
P-4. The model name is easy to misread, but intimus lists the 32 CC3 as DIN 66399 P-4 on both its datasheet and its North American product page, and the arithmetic agrees: a 4 x 28 mm particle is 112 mm2, well inside the 160 mm2 ceiling that P-4 allows. It is not P-3. If you have seen this machine listed as P-3 elsewhere, that listing is wrong — and it matters, because P-4 is the level most data-protection policies name for documents containing personal data.
How many people can share it?
intimus specifies one to four users. That is a fair figure for the pass capacity but the 8.5-gallon bin is the real constraint: four people shredding steadily will fill it in a day or two. If your team is at the top of that range and nobody wants to own the emptying, the intimus 45 CP4 gives you the same P-4 particle class with a 45-litre bin and 17 sheets a pass in a cabinet only slightly larger.
Can it shred credit cards and CDs?
Yes. intimus rates the 32 CC3 for paper, credit cards, ID badges and optical media including CDs and DVDs. Feed cards and discs one at a time rather than mixed into a paper stack, and let the machine clear fully between them. Note that shredded plastic and disc fragments fill the bin faster than paper does and are sharp, so empty carefully. There is no separate media slot on this model — everything goes through the same 9.5 in throat.
Will legal-size or tabloid paper fit?
Letter and legal fit; tabloid does not. The throat is 9.5 in wide, and both letter and legal measure 8.5 in on the short edge, so they feed portrait without folding. Tabloid and ledger are 11 in wide and will not enter the throat flat. Folding them halves your effective sheet capacity on a machine that only takes twelve to begin with, so if oversize stock is routine, look at the intimus 175 series with its 16 in feed opening.
How often does it need oiling?
Oil it at every bin change. intimus North America's warranty document states that all cross-cut shredders require lubrication of the cutting cylinders and that neglecting this may void the warranty. Use intimus cutting-block oil applied evenly across the feed opening, then run a brief reverse cycle. Oil is not supplied with the machine. Avoid aerosol lubricants, which leave residue that gums the cutters over time.
What does the warranty cover?
Under intimus North America's commercial shredder terms the 32 CC3 carries two years on parts, 90 days on labour, and a lifetime limited warranty on the cutting cylinders against fracture. Normal wear items are excluded — intimus specifically names cutters, gears, belts, chains, PC boards and optics. Coverage is also conditional on the machine being lubricated as specified, so keep a record of maintenance if the unit is on a service contract.