KOBRA 400 HS OM OPTICAL MEDIA

The KOBRA 400 HS OM is a dedicated high-security optical media destroyer, not a paper shredder: it reduces CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, floppy disks and ID or payment cards to 1.5 x 2 mm particles, rated O-6 T-6 E-5 under DIN 66399. Units built after November 2019 appear on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List for optical destruction devices. It is meant for data centers, media libraries and cleared facilities that retire discs and cards in volume and need a documented, government-recognized result.

KOBRA 400 HS OM at a glance

• 1.5 x 2 mm particle (3 mm²), O-6 T-6 E-5
• Up to 1,770 discs per hour at the NSA-rated pace; up to 2,550 in practical use
• 5.0 in (130 mm) throat for discs and cards; does not take paper
• Integrated automatic oiler and a 2.9 HP continuous-duty motor
• Reusable 22-gallon (80-liter) fabric waste bag

Government listings behind the 400 HS OM

The NSA/CSS EPL entry for this model is qualified by build date, reading "Kobra 400 HS-OM - Manufactured after Nov, 2019". It covers CD, DVD and BD discs, EMV credit cards, magnetic stripe cards, CAC IDs and SIM cards. Kobra also references NSA Level 04-02 for optical destruction. That is the optical specification, separate from the paper-shredder standard. The machine is also NPSA approved for UK government use, compliant with Australia's ASIO T-4 standard, and TAA compliant for US public-sector purchasing. When buying against a government requirement, confirm the unit's manufacture date and the current EPL revision in writing.

Planning a disc destruction session

Kobra publishes two throughput numbers. Up to 2,550 discs per hour is the practical rate with someone feeding continuously; 1,770 per hour is the NSA-rated figure, which is the one to schedule around for regulated work. Discs travel at 30 ft/min through a cross-cut head driven by a heavy chain with steel gears, and the 2.9 HP (2100 W) motor is rated for 24-hour duty, so a large backlog can be cleared in one sitting. Electronic eyes start and stop it, and automatic reverse frees a jam.

The automatic oiler keeps the fine knives lubricated during operation, which helps because rigid polycarbonate is harder on a cutting head than paper. Fragments this small are sharp, which is why the waste goes into a reusable fabric bag rather than a plastic liner, which would split. Empty it into a rigid container. Replacement bags are art. 51.071 and oiler oil is art. 51.086.

400 HS OM specifications

400 HS OM or a combined machine?

• KOBRA 400 HS-6 COMBI: puts this 1.5 x 2 mm optical head alongside a 0.8 x 5 mm P-7 paper head in one cabinet, for sites that need both.
• KOBRA 400 HS-6 AUTO-OILER: a P-7 paper machine at 0.8 x 5 mm that pairs naturally with the HS OM where volumes justify two dedicated units.

Who needs the 400 HS OM

It is the right purchase for an organization with a steady stream of discs, ID badges and SIM cards to destroy to a government-recognized level. It is the wrong purchase as a sole shredder, since it cannot take paper, and it is not meant for hard drives or flash drives either.