Before you specify
Frequently Asked Questions
How many people can share this before it bottlenecks?
HSM positions the P36i as a departmental machine, and in practice five to fifteen regular users is the realistic band. Three things keep it from bottlenecking: the continuous-operation rating, 16 to 18 sheets a pass, and a 145 l bin that a normal office fills in weeks rather than days. What does slow it down is people feeding stapled bundles one page at a time, so it is worth telling users the rollers handle staples.
Can it shred CDs and DVDs?
Yes, through the main throat - this variant is rated O-4 for optical media, which means discs are destroyed to particles of 30 mm2 or less. Feed them one at a time and on their own. Note that the higher-security P36i variants cannot do this: a P-6 or P-7 paper cutter is too fine to survive a disc, which is why those models are sold with a separate OMDD cutting unit instead.
Is this shredder NSA approved?
No. NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a maximum particle of 1 mm x 5 mm and the specific model to appear on the NSA/CSS Evaluated Products List. At 1.9 x 15 mm this machine meets neither. HSM does have P36i variants on the EPL - the SECURIO P36i (L6) and the P36i (L6) OMDD Combo - but those are the 1 x 5 mm models, at eight sheets a pass instead of 16 to 18.
Does it need manual oiling?
No. The P36i has an integrated automatic oiler. You keep it topped up with HSM shredder oil rather than running oil sheets or spraying the throat. This is not a cosmetic feature - micro-cut rollers wear quickly when run dry, and on machines without an auto-oiler, missed lubrication is the most common cause of premature failure. Do not substitute vegetable oil or aerosol lubricants.
How often will the 38.3 gallon bin need emptying?
Far less often than a desk-side machine. P-5 particles pack tightly, and 145 l is a large volume - a department shredding a few hundred pages a day will typically go two to four weeks between changes. The touch display gives a full-bin warning and the machine stops rather than jamming. The full-width door means the box comes out without wrestling.
Can it run all day without stopping?
Yes. HSM rates the P36i for continuous operation, which is the main structural difference between this and the C-series desk-side machines. The IntelligentDrive motor offers a performance mode for clearing a backlog and a silent mode for shared spaces. The practical limits are the bin and the operator, not the duty cycle.
Will it take stapled and clipped paperwork?
Yes. HSM builds the P36i with induction-hardened solid steel cutting rollers rated for staples and paper clips, and a P-5 cut is coarse enough to tolerate them. Remove bulldog clips, binder spines and anything substantially heavier than a standard staple. Be aware that the finer P-6 and P-7 versions of this same chassis are far less tolerant of metal - HSM sells a metal-detection variant for exactly that reason.
What warranty comes with it?
HSM publishes a 5-year machine warranty and a lifetime warranty on the solid steel cutting rollers for SECURIO models in security levels P-2 to P-5. At P-5, this machine is the highest-security P36i that still qualifies for both. The P-6 and P-7 variants of the same chassis carry a 3-year machine warranty and no lifetime roller cover, which is worth pricing in if you are choosing between them.