Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
How do the screens change the security level?
The screen sets the largest particle that can leave the cutting chamber, so it sets the DIN level directly. Run without a screen and the machine is rated E-3 / T-4. Fit the 5 mm screen and it becomes E-4 / T-5. Fit the 3.5 mm screen and it becomes E-5 / T-6. Material is recirculated until it passes the screen, which is why the particle is consistent - and also why throughput drops sharply as the screen gets finer.
What is the real throughput cost of running E-5?
Substantial, and worth planning around. Without a screen intimus rates the machine at up to 1,000 units per hour, roughly 35 kg/h. With the 5 mm screen that falls to around 180 units per hour, roughly 6.5 kg/h. With the 3.5 mm screen it is around 85 units per hour, roughly 3 kg/h. That is a factor of about twelve between the fastest and the most secure configuration. Match the screen to the job rather than leaving the finest one fitted permanently.
Can it destroy hard disk drives?
No. The approved materials list covers SSDs, USB sticks, SD cards, smartphones and tablets with the batteries removed, floppy disks, data tape and plastic cards. Conventional spinning hard drives are not included. Use the intimus HDD Gladiator for HDDs - it is rated H-3, uses 30 mm blades for drives, and manages up to 150 3.5 in drives an hour. Many facilities run the two machines side by side.
How is this different from the intimus FlashEx?
The FlashEx is a cross-cut shredder producing a fixed 4 x 15 mm particle at E-3, in an office-format cabinet weighing 122 kg. The SSD Granulator is a 430 kg industrial machine whose particle size is set by an interchangeable screen, reaching E-4 and E-5 that the FlashEx cannot. If E-3 meets your policy and you want the smaller, simpler machine, buy the FlashEx. Buy the Granulator when the policy demands a finer particle or when you need configurability.
Do batteries have to come out of phones and tablets?
Yes, always. Smartphones and tablets appear on the approved materials list only with the battery removed. A granulator recirculates material against a screen, so a lithium cell would be repeatedly struck inside a chamber full of shredded metal and plastic - a serious fire risk. Make battery removal a documented, verified step before anything enters the machine.
What site preparation does it need?
The machine is 116 cm wide, 72 cm deep and 125 cm tall, and weighs 430 kg. Check floor loading, door widths, lift capacity and the delivery route in advance. It also needs an industrial electrical supply - the intimus datasheet gives 400 V / 50 Hz, and we have not verified the North American configuration, so confirm the requirement with us before you book an electrician. Allow working space around the machine for screen changes.