Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
Does P-4 satisfy our data protection obligations?
P-4 is the level most destruction policies and privacy programmes name for personal data, and it is what auditors expect. US privacy law does not cite DIN 66399 directly; it requires destruction that renders information practicably unreadable and unreconstructable, which a 156 mm2 particle achieves. If a client contract or a public-sector framework specifically names P-5, this machine will not meet it and you need the 1.9 x 15 mm version.
Is this machine NSA approved?
No. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a maximum particle of 1 x 5 mm and requires the exact model to be listed on the NSA Evaluated Products List. At 3.9 x 40 mm the SP 5080 is far outside that limit, and no Powerline shredder-baler is EPL listed. DIN 66399 P-4 and NSA approval are entirely separate things, and any supplier who conflates them is misleading you.
Why does HSM's own US site quote different numbers?
HSM's US pages for this line print the European metric values under imperial labels. The drive power shows as '115 hp' when the real figure is 11.5 kW, the intake as '500 inch' when it is 500 mm, the machine weight as '1350 lb' when it is 1350 kg and the press force as '80 t' when it is 80 kN. Everything on this page comes from HSM's European datasheet with conversions we did ourselves.
Can it destroy CDs, DVDs and USB sticks to a rated level?
Yes. This variant carries E-3 for electronic data carriers, O-3 for optical media, F-1 for film and T-4 for hard-copy microform in addition to P-4 for paper, and HSM lists CDs, DVDs, floppy disks, credit cards and USB sticks among the shreddable materials. The coarser P-2 and P-3 versions of the same machine only reach E-2 and O-2, which is a much less thorough destruction of the same items.
What do the finished bales look like and how are they handled?
570 x 490 x 800 mm, up to 80 kg each, which HSM's datasheet confirms specifically for this 3.9 x 40 mm variant. At that weight you need a pallet truck or forklift and somewhere to stage bales for collection. Sites without mechanical handling should look at the SP 4040 V instead, which makes 35 kg bales that two people can move.
What are the installation requirements?
1267 x 2474 x 1792 mm for the machine, plus loading clearance at the conveyor end and bale-ejection clearance at the press end. Machine weight is 1350 kg, so floor loading and the delivery route both need checking. Power is 208 V / 60 Hz three-phase for the North American build, against 400 V / 50 Hz on HSM's European datasheet for the equivalent article. Budget for the electrical connection separately.
Does the automatic oiler mean no maintenance?
It means no scheduled operator task for lubricating the cutting rollers, which is the maintenance step most often skipped on industrial shredders and the one that most often shortens roller life. You still need to keep the oiler's reservoir filled with the correct cutting-block oil, clear the intake area, and have the hydraulics and cutting head serviced on the manufacturer's schedule.