Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Does P-4 satisfy GDPR, HIPAA and FACTA for paper destruction?
P-4 is the level normally specified for the destruction of personal data, and it is what most information-security policies and auditors name. None of those regulations state a DIN level directly — they require destruction sufficient that the data cannot be reconstructed — so the DIN level is how organisations demonstrate they met the standard. P-4 at 3.9 x 40 mm is the widely accepted answer for ordinary personal data. Highly sensitive categories may attract an internal requirement for P-5, which this chassis cannot reach.
Why does capacity drop from 96 sheets to 80 versus the P-3 model?
Because the cutting head does more work per sheet. The P-3 head cuts 5.8 mm longitudinal strips with an occasional cross break at 50 mm; this head cuts narrower 3.9 mm strips and breaks them every 40 mm, so there are more cuts per page and more resistance. Eighty sheets at 80 g/m² is HSM's rating. It is still a very high figure for a P-4 machine — a typical office P-4 shredder manages 10 to 20.
Can it shred CDs, credit cards and stapled files?
Yes to all three. HSM's material list for this machine covers paper, crumpled paper, continuous/computer paper, staples, paper clips, credit cards, CDs and diskettes, and this variant carries a full multi-media rating of E-3|F-1|O-3|P-4|T-4. Feed optical media a few discs at a time rather than mixed into a large paper stack, and remove ring-binder mechanisms and heavy clips, which are not on the list.
How long can it run before it needs to stop?
It does not need to stop. The FA 400.2 is a continuous-duty design intended for archives and central destruction stations, not an office machine with a stated run/rest cycle. In practice the interruptions are emptying the 460 litre container and the scheduled oiling of the cutting head, both of which are quick. If your current machine forces a cool-down every twenty minutes, that constraint disappears here.
What size room does it need?
The cabinet is 1120 x 1568 x 1649 mm — about 44 inches wide, 62 inches deep and 65 inches high — and weighs 444 kg. Allow standing room in front for feeding and enough clearance to withdraw the 460 litre container, which realistically means a bay around 2 x 2.5 metres. Check the delivery route as well: a machine 1.57 m deep on castors will not negotiate a tight corner, and 444 kg is a genuine consideration for a lift or a raised floor.
Is this NSA approved?
No. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a 1 mm x 5 mm maximum particle and requires the specific model to be on the NSA Evaluated Products List. At 3.9 x 40 mm this machine produces particles about thirty times that area, and it is not an EPL-listed product. P-4 is a commercial data-protection level, not a classified-material level. If you handle classified paper you need a listed high-security micro-cut machine, and we would rather direct you to one.
What consumables will I need to budget for?
Cutting oil and collection bags, neither of which is included. The machine has an integrated manual oiler and HSM specifies a particular cutting oil for it; generic lubricants can gum the rollers and are a false economy on a head this fine. HSM also lists reusable collection bags, dust extraction, table extensions and collection trolleys as accessories for this chassis. We have not published a bag part number here because we could not verify one directly against HSM documentation — ask us and we will confirm it against your serial number.
Can I get this chassis at P-5?
Not in the FA 400.2. HSM builds this cabinet in four cutting heads — 11.8 mm (P-1), 5.8 mm (P-2), 5.8 x 50 mm (P-3) and this 3.9 x 40 mm (P-4) — and P-4 is the top of the range. For P-5 you move to the Powerline 450.2 with the 2 x 15 mm head. Be aware that is a smaller machine: a 443 mm intake, a 290 litre bin, and sheet capacity of roughly 28 to 32 rather than 80. The security level goes up and everything else goes down.