sem disintegrator Archives

History of Data Destruction

October 20, 2020 at 9:00 am by Amanda Canale

For thousands of years, humans have recorded and documented history, stories, and their life experiences. These written records have transformed from cave wall drawings and papyrus scrolls to printed novels and Kindle books. With the transformation of the written word, the methods of destruction have also evolved. Let’s dive into some of the history of data destruction methods and some of the key players involved.

4000 B.C. Egypt: The Invention of Papyrus
Papyrus, the world’s first ever form of paper, was invented in ancient Egypt thousands of years ago in approximately 4,000 B.C. People began using it to document history, life events, news, and stories. With the inception of recorded information came the need to destroy that information, whether to prevent confidential information from being stolen or placed into the wrong hands or destroying information that was deemed inappropriate or blasphemous. When the need for destruction would arise, without modern day shredding technology, people were forced to resort to manual destruction of papyrus scrolls. Fire was also a viable option to destroy recorded information, as seen in the 48 B.C. destruction of the Royal Library of Alexandria and its loss of 500,000 scrolls’ worth of recorded history.

1909 New York City: Abbot Augustus Low’s Paper Shredder Patent
New York City-based inventor Abbot Augustus Low is known for his invention of the first ever paper shredder in 1909. Unfortunately, Low passed away shortly after filing the shredder’s patent and was unable to manufacture it beyond just an initial prototype. His invention was primarily intended to be used in banks and counting houses.

1935-1959 Germany: From Pasta to Particles
It wasn’t until thirty years later in 1935 when the paper shredder was actually first manufactured. Adolf Ehinger created the first real paper shredder as a matter of life or death; at the time, he was living in Nazi Germany and was being questioned about the anti-Nazi literature in his garbage. Ehinger created a paper shredder that mimicked a hand-cranked pasta maker to destroy the literature and was able to successfully avoid persecution.

After this incident, Ehinger added an electric motor to his paper shredder which he was able to market and sell throughout the Cold War in the 1950s. Once his machine quickly started gaining popularity, his company, EBA Maschinenfabrik, crafted the first cross-cut paper shredder. This newer model not only shredded the documents into strips, but also sliced them into smaller pieces similar to confetti to ensure extra security.

1940s: The World’s First Degausser
After the introduction of iron ships in the late 1800s, scientists and crew members soon discovered that iron had an interesting effect on compasses and magnetic fields. It wouldn’t be until decades later when they would use this information to create the first ever magnetic degausser.

Decades later during the early days of World War II, Canadian chemist Charles F. Goodeve was working for the British Royal Navy researching methods to disarm war mines. In 1939, a British naval shore was targeted by a German mine that, luckily, had been disarmed before causing any harm. After conducting research on the now disarmed mine, Goodeve and his team were able to discover that the mines were equipped with triggers that would detonate based on the surrounding gauss level. A gauss level, named after scientist and mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss, is a unit for measuring magnetic density. This discovery was major news back then as the British Navy was able to install electrical cables lining the circumference of their ships that would carry an electrical current, ultimately neutralizing the ship’s magnetic field. This first act of degaussing allowed the British naval ships to remain completely undetected by the Germans and enemy mines. It was this revolutionary technology that has led to modern-day degaussing of tapes and other magnetic devices.

1968: The Inception of Security Engineered Machinery
Korean War veteran and SEM founder Leonard Rosen created the first ever paper disintegrator in 1968 after the infamous Pueblo Incident. The Pueblo Incident occurred on January 23, 1968 when the USS Pueblo, a U.S. Navy intelligence vessel, was intercepted by North Korean patrol boats. In an act of desperation to protect national secrets, the Pueblo crew members began furiously trying to destroy the onboard classified information. Unfortunately, the crew was unsuccessful in their mission and were forced to surrender, leaving their attackers with free reign over the remaining documents.

In comes Leonard Rosen. This incident didn’t sit well with Mr. Rosen, a Korean War Veteran, who began to draft a better paper destruction method specifically for confidential and classified information. Within a matter of a few weeks, he had created the world’s first paper disintegrator. What makes the disintegrator different and more secure than a paper shredder is that it uses a repeating knife chopping process and screen that the particles must pass through. Disintegrator particles pass through the sizing screen in irregular shapes, sizes, and orientations and fill the waste chambers at different times, all of which makes it much more difficult to piece the now destroyed records back together.

SEM Founder Leonard Rosen with his invention, the disintegrator.

Since 1968, data destruction methods have only become increasingly more advanced and secure. The commodified use of paper shredders has transformed from being solely in government buildings to now virtually every place of business and personal homes. Shredders have steadily gained popularity over the years due to infamous incidents like the Watergate Scandal in 1973 and the Iranian Embassy siege in 1979, and are now equipped to shred magnetic drives and other forms of optical media.

For over 50 years, SEM has been the driving force behind innovative data destruction methods and has laid the groundwork for end-of-life best practices. Today, we are the industry leader for electronic media crushers and shredders, and have data destruction equipment in every U.S. embassy, military base, naval ship, and government building across the globe. We know that the best way to protect federal and personal information is to conduct all end-of-life data destruction in-house with SEM’s state-of-the-art destruction equipment.

Shredding Bullets and Other Wild (aka Bad Idea!) Destruction Stories

May 8, 2020 at 7:14 pm by Paul Falcone

After over 50 years in business, the SEM service team and service technicians have had some interesting calls to service our machines. After all, our team has travelled all across the world to service these machines for our customers to ensure that they have a long-lasting life of thorough data destruction, so some strange things are bound to happen. So, which of these stories has stood the test of time?

Something Stinks!

One call that came to mind was a service call for a paper shredder that had a jam. The service technician arrived at the scene to get to work, only to find that it wasn’t just a normal jam. As it turns out, there was a disgruntled employee who had thrown a dirty sock into the shredder that caused it to jam. The sock completely ruined the gears and the cutting head inside the paper shredder system as the fabric got wrapped around and slowed it to a jam. That stinks!

Heavy Money

Something that can come to surprise to people is the need to shred currency. As currency ages some is phased out, disposed of, and replaced. At this facility the currency was being prepared to be destroyed in groups of a set weight. In this service call, it was discovered that someone had thrown coins in with bills to make sure the specific package of currency met its targeted weight before being destroyed. The only problem is that the SEM model 1454 disintegrator is not designed to destroy coins, and as they went through the cutting chamber, it sparked and caused a fire to break out amongst the currency that was also being disintegrated.

Remember that it’s not only flammable objects that can create fires but also objects that can create sparks! The sparks themselves may not be dangerous but when you’re shredding paper next to it, things can quickly go up in flames.

Ammunition Disposal

Another service call story happened while our service technician was working on a machine with multiple units on sight. While completing a different job, the service technician noticed that a group of people were loading material into a Model 22 disintegrator nearby, only to hear loud explosions shortly after. The material loaded into the Model 22 disintegrator turned out to be ammunition that had been confiscated and needed to be destroyed. While SEM is proud of how strong our machines are built, no cutting chamber is going to handle live ammunition exploding in the cutting chamber.

Please don’t do this.

Don’t Run (Or Un-Jam Machines) With Scissors

One last story involved a service call to service a paper shredder that had jammed. The customer had tried to troubleshoot the problem independently before consulting SEM by using a pair of scissors to pull out jammed material. The only problem was the machine was still on, and the photo-eye sensor sensed material and began to pull in the scissors that were being used and shredded half of the scissors before the operator could pull them back out. Once the metal went into the paper shredder the cutting head was not only jammed, but now destroyed. Remember to always power down units before attempting to unjam and always consult SEM before going into a machine.

Onto Our Next Call

These are just a few of the stories we gathered here from our service team over the years. While some can be comical, the important thing to remember is that these machines are not invincible, and proper maintenance, upkeep, and care is required to have a long lasting device. The good news is, devices that are maintained and only operated by destroying the approved materials can last decades. Remember, don’t shred bullets.

It’s a really bad idea.

What to Do About Your Old Disintegrator

December 21, 2018 at 2:31 pm by SEM

Disintegrators are devices that were first introduced by SEM to the US Government back in the late 60’s and are now being used by the military, defense contractors, Fortune 500 companies and anyone that has the need to destroy specific types of information. Disintegrators would best be summed up as an industrial approach to the destruction of all types of sensitive data. Disintegrators come in various sizes from an office version to large volume units capable of destroying a ton or more paper or other media per hour to the standards of classified information in the government.

What is the life cycle of a disintegrator?

There are many disintegrators in the field today that have been in operation for over 25-30 years and are still destroying data the same way they did when they were initially purchased. Back then, the systems were very functional and worked well but did not have the bells and whistles or special enhancements like the models being offered today. Special sound enclosures, air systems and electronic upgrades are now available. The quality of the SEM disintegrator has not changed and one can expect the same durability as machines from years past.

When is it time to replace or refurbish?

One of the most common reasons why organizations replace disintegrators is their volume of sensitive data has increased and they can no longer meet production requirements. Everyone today is looking for ways to reduce destruction time and increase operational effectiveness. Volume has increased over the years for everyone regardless of the business you are in. The paperless office has never really materialized as we had expected. When the equipment can no longer meet throughput production, it just may be time to replace old reliable with a new piece of equipment. As a viable option, the old equipment can be traded in to SEM to defer some of the costs of the new equipment.

From an accounting standpoint, it might be at the end of its useful life cycle. The key here might also be the actual condition of the equipment. Does it make sense to refurbish it? What are the maximum capabilities of the existing equipment even with factory upgrading?

It might make more sense to refurbish your old disintegrator since cost savings can be substantial. Machines are typically sent back to the SEM factory for refurbishment and upgrading. At one time, machines came standard with three rotating knives. Now, as part of the refurbishing process, a new five bladed rotor is installed in each machine. This upgrade offers you the latest machine technology for SEM disintegrators. Basically, a five bladed rotor produces more cuts per revolution and increases the capacity of the old machine by 30% or more.

Refurbished machines receive repainting, relabeling, new cutting knives, and replacement of defective out of tolerance components including safety switches. They receive a final inspection and testing to new machine standards. Machines also receives a new warranty. This could very well be the way to go depending on your current volume and other factors.

For more information, please contact us today through our chat window or our contact page.

Is There a Single Machine I can get to Destroy Everything?

April 23, 2018 at 9:58 am by SEM

Look through a catalog or web site for high security information destruction devices and you’ll find so many types of machines: shredders, disintegrators, crushers, grinders, and more. Some machines handle one type of material, like just CDs and DVDs for example. Other machines destroy two or more kinds of media.

That leads to the question- “isn’t there just one machine I can get to destroy everything?” For simplicity, low cost, less use of space, this is a natural question. Even better, can’t the “everything machine” be approved for handling the highest sensitivity materials, like government classified items. Unfortunately, the miracle machine that “does it all” doesn’t exist; at least not yet. Here’s why:

Office Shredders: these machines are great for paper documents and there are high security models that are NSA approved at the highest level. But the highest security versions can’t shred anything but paper. Yes, there are combo machines that also shred paper, but the high security models are really two shredder heads in one cabinet. Even more problematic, these machines can suffer severe, costly damage if an operator accidentally feeds a CD or DVD into the paper-only feed slot.

Whitaker-destroy-it-2605 — SEM Model 244 NSA Listed Paper Shredder

Office Mixed Media Destroyers– these are small, knife mill disintegrators. They offer some useful capabilities, including three separate NSA listings (paper documents, CD, and key tape). Plus, they destroy a huge range of other items, like flash memory, thumb drives, cell phones, small tape cartridges, and lots more. Seems like a candidate for doing it all, right? Well, not quite all. Paper throughput for office disintegrators is only 5-6 sheets every 10 seconds. Even a very small high security paper shredder can beat that. These machines can’t accept heavier items, like hard drives or large tape cartridges. So, still not the answer for everything, but still very useful for many applications.

The Model 200 Mixed Media Destroyer is ideal for the destruction of a wide variety of media including cell phones, flash drives, computer backup tapes and much more.

SEM Model DS-400 Mixed Media Disintegrator

Full Sized Disintegrators– these are big, industrial style machines that use the same cutting method as office mixed media destroyers. These disintegrators are the closest we can get to an everything machine. They are a great choice for many high volume mixed media requirements. These machines can take larger items, like bulk paper documents, bound books/manuals, full tape cartridges, and more. But, they can’t destroy other things, like whole hard drives. And, they won’t fit everyone’s situation. In particular, not everyone has the right location for these machines. They are not office machines. They need an isolated location and high voltage electrical supply. They also need more training or supervision than office machines.

The best answer to the “everything machine” question is that there isn’t a single perfect machine that can destroy all types of information bearing media at the highest security levels, let alone one that is office friendly and affordable. What to do about that? Make a careful study of the types and quantities of materials needing destruction. Determine the types and numbers of likely users. Then, select the two or three machines that can best handle the requirements for your particular needs and situation.

Need assistance narrowing down which machines you need? Contact SEM today to learn why we’re the industry leader 50 years after inventing the world’s first disintegrator.

SEM Goes Hollywood

September 7, 2016 at 11:10 am by SEM

In 2012 Hollywood decided to make the movie Argo, starring Ben Affleck, about the 1979 Iranian Hostage event when the U.S. Embassy was overthrown. One of the key scenes in the movie involved the need to destroy sensitive information very quickly, embassy employees are frantically feeding classified documents into an SEM disintegrator.

SEM products were also featured in footage from an ABC news story, “Rare look inside the U.S. Embassy Ravaged by Iran”, about a visit to the U.S. Embassy in Tehran, at the 1:11 mark of the story, the reporter states that “even some of the equipment used in 1979 is still here.” A close up then focuses on the SEM disintegrator.

In the Movie “Mad Money”, a story about three Federal Reserve Bank employees whose role is to destroy old, worn-out currency, Queen Latifah, Diane Keaton and Katie Holmes are shown feeding the currency into an SEM disintegrator, of course they “‘borrowed” some of it before it entered the system.

As a supplier of shredding equipment since 1967, SEM has placed shredding systems in many sensitive locations both here and abroad. High security agencies within the Federal Government and many World Wide Central Banks throughout the globe have active systems that have been functioning for up to 20 or 30 years.

In addition to shredding/disintegration, SEM is also mentioned in the very recent movie 13 Hours, the story about 9-11-12 terrorist attack on the U.S. embassy/diplomatic compound in Benghazi, Libya. In one of the scenes, while under attack, embassy employees were erasing sensitive data on magnetic media (hard drives) using an SEM degausser.

In one of the most widely witnessed scenes in recent history, the 1975 rooftop evacuation of the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, an SEM disintegrator, located under a canopy on the roof is in plain view. During a recent visit to that site, a U.S. Govt. employee took a photo of the unit which is still located on the roof. He also removed the model/serial number plate and sent it to us. He may not be 100% sure, but he believes that after 40 years, the unit is still operational.

As the inventor of the disintegrator and a leading supplier of high security destruction and sanitization solutions to the Federal Government and fortune 100 commercial customers for the past 50 years, our product line has evolved to keep up with the ways in which information is stored. While disintegrators are still a viable and effective solution, our product line has evolved into a complete line of solutions to erase and shred the newest forms of information storage media. From magnetic media like hard disk drives and back-up tapes to optical disks to solid state technology, SEM has developed and introduced a comprehensive line of media end-of-life solutions to meet the information security demands of today.

5 Things to Consider Before Building a Disintegrator System

June 18, 2015 at 10:28 am by SEM

If you are in need of a central information destruction solution that can shred high volumes of paper or mixed media, a disintegrator may be the answer. As the inventor of the disintegrator over 45 years ago, SEM has the proven expertise to determine which system is right for you.

The following are some steps to consider when determining which system is most appropriate.

1. SECURITY AND MATERIAL

This is the most important factor. It is important to know what type of material and the particle size required by your security team. NSA requires a 3/32” security screen for the destruction of classified paper and optical media. For unclassified information or material, a larger particle may be acceptable, just check with your security manager.

2. VOLUME/CAPACITY:

Disintegrators come in all sizes. The volume of material you will be destroying helps determine what size is right for you. There are two things needed to be determined. How many pounds of material will be destroyed on a weekly basis and how many working hours per day would you like to run the unit.

3. WASTE COLLECTION:

Disintegrators offer a few options for waste collection. The proper fan system is mostly dependent on the information in the prior two steps. With low to average volume disintegrators, standard single or dual bag fan systems are common. Large outside air collection systems or Briquettors may be needed for higher volume applications. SEM DISINTEGRATOR OPTIONS

4. ADDITIONAL OPTIONS:

There are a variety of additional options that are available for disintegrator systems. These include sound reduction enclosures, conveyors, master control panels, Spare knives and security screens. An experienced SEM representative can help you choose the best options.

5. FACILITY SPACE AND 3-PHASE POWER AVAILABILITY:

Once a targeted system has been identified you must be sure your facility has a room with adequate space and 3-phase electrical power available to run the equipment. Layout drawings may be required depending on the disintegrator system.

SEM not only invented the disintegrator, we have been installing and supporting them since 1967. From installations in virtually every US Embassy throughout the world to locations throughout the USA, our team can work with you to create the most effective solution at the most economical price. Worried about the price? Look into building your centralized destruction system piece by piece over time instead.

How to Avoid Jamming a Disintegrator

December 10, 2014 at 4:28 pm by SEM

You’ve done it again! Your disintegrator has jammed leaving you with the task of chiseling paper and material from the cutting chamber resulting in down-time from shredding those classified documents.

There are a number of factors that can lead to disintegrator jams. The primary reason for system jams is lack of operator awareness on some very basic functions to keep the system operating at maximum performance. Proper training on how to feed the system is an important step in preventing system jamming. The old saying less is more is very applicable when feeding disintegrators. Because disintegrator systems can vary depending on their size, power and features, it is always recommended to check with SEM before feeding a system and have them advise you of the best practices to avoid jams.

In general, the most common factors leading to jams are over feeding, inefficient air evacuation system, a clogged filter system, dull knives, a need to adjust the feed rate for particular material and more. Here are a few ways to avoid jams and to operate the system to maximize the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.

Overfeeding: Learn the proper way to feed the unit. Disintegrators need to cut the material over and over until it is reduced to the security screen size. Only then does it get evacuated out of the chamber. If an end user overloads the cutting chamber with material, it will cause a jam. It is important to allow the unit to clear most of the material before feeding another handful of paper. This still applies to conveyor feed systems. Do not stack material too high on conveyor.
Efficient air system: Run your air evacuation system for 5-10 minutes before starting your disintegrator and feeding. This will clear any excess material that may have been left in the cutting chamber or transition from an earlier operation. The disintegrator and air system should be run for 10-15 minutes at the conclusion of every operation as well.
Clear air filtration system: Inspect your filter system dust bag before every operation. Depending on the system, they may look different but the concept is the same. Be sure the bag or drum that collects the fine dust is less than half full. If these bags are too full, it will choke the system by restricting air flow and lead to a jam.
Dull knives: Keep your knives sharpened. SEM highly recommends that you have a spare set of sharpened knives that can be installed when the dull knives are removed and sent out to be re-sharpened disintegrator knives can be re-sharpened about five times. With a second set of knives, the dull knives can be removed and the spare knives can be installed while dull knives are being sharpened. This will minimize down time waiting for the knives to be returned from sharpening.
Operator training: Learn about your system, the features, and options that are available to help reduce jamming. SEM has been selling disintegrators since 1967 and are leaders in the data destruction industry. Feel free to contact SEM at 800-225-9293 and ask to speak to your local representative regarding your system. They can also recommend a variety of options that can be added to most systems that can help reduce jams. Some of these options are conveyors, voltage meters, one button start up and shutdown panels, motorized shakers and more.

Not every jam can be avoided, but training and diligence will help to reduce potential jams.

Need a Full System But Don’t Have The Funds? Think Modular.

at 2:31 pm by SEM

As a Security Manager responsible for major classified holdings, you will likely face budget obstacles trying to get the central destruction system you need. While valuable and essential, these systems can be costly, and it can be difficult to get all that money upfront, especially within government contracts. But at SEM there is a strategy to deal with those obstacles if funding is a long term problem.

In short, think modular! SEM Disintegrators are unique in that they are designed with upgrade possibilities in mind. You can start with the funds you have this year and buy a basic system. Then you can build on it until you have what you want in following years until you end up with a state-of-art destruction/recycling system. Here is an example of how that might work.

Let’s say you have done your research and have come to the conclusion that you need a 700-900 lb. per hour capability. You decide that the SEM Model 23/5 Disintegrator is what you need for current and future needs. Let’s also assume that your organization is under pressure to reduce solid waste and recycling your classified paper waste would help in that direction. So you request funding for a well equipped SEM Model 23/5 Green Value Kit. Your leadership looks at your request and says, “No way, we might be able to give you 25% of that funding this year.” My advice is to take the money.

Pick out a site that has enough room for the Green Value Kit. SEM can provide layout drawings to assist you with this. This system includes the disintegrator, waste fan system, conveyor feed system, sound enclosure, and the Briquettor that compresses finely shredded classified waste into a form that can be easily recycled. Then proceed to buy the standalone Model 23/5 with just a dual bag waste collection system. Now you have a solid foundation.

The Basic SEM Model 23/5 would include these two major components: Model 23/5 Disintegrator and the Model F-112 Fan Waste System.

Let’s suppose that in the following year you run into funding issues again, but you still only get “some” money. This time you decide you want to upgrade the safety and operational features. So you put together a request to purchase a sound enclosure and conveyor feeding system.

In year three the funding is not much better, so you use your limited money for the upgraded fan system you will need once you have Briquettor. This could include a fan cyclone, rotary air lock, duct work, and all of the associated controls. With this system, you could still be collecting waste in bags. Or you could switch to some other type of container since you now have an air lock. At this point, all you need to finish your Green System is a briquettor.

It is now year four and sequestration is history. Now you can request the final part of your Green System. Have you spoken with the Environmental Department in your organization? When they find out you are trying to acquire a system that might add a 100,000 lb. of paper to the recycling program, they might help with the funding. Since you have planned this from the beginning, you have made this very easy. Space and electrical requirements are not a problem. You covered those in year one. Your last fan system upgrade is now in place. All that needs to be done now is purchase the briquettor, move it into place, and make the connections. Because of your planning and patience over four budget cycles, you now have a state-of-the-art Green System that your organization can count on for the next couple decades. That’s how the idea works.

Here is an example Green Value Kit. Note the briquette collection bins in the foreground. You can also see a full green centralized destruction system in this video here.

Here is one last thought. This strategy will work with numerous SEM disintegrator models and features. Your SEM Regional Manager has on average fifteen years of experience helping your community with classified destruction needs. Most are on the road two weeks per month visiting unique facilities all over the world. Once you have an idea where want to go with your destruction needs, our folks can visit your site and put together a technical road map to get you there. That road map will include strategy on how to get your project through the procurement process. I hope you won’t hesitate to call if we can help.

For more information about disintegrators , briquettors or other information security products, visit us at www.semshred.com or call us at 800-225-9295.

6 Questions to Find the Right Disintegrator for You

December 21, 2010 at 11:13 am by SEM

Disintegrators can seem complex and confusing at first glance. These large metal machines break down materials to a tiny particle size and that in itself can make an operator nervous. However, once you know a little bit about these machines you learn they’re not complex at all.

Disintegrators have been around for a very long time destroying many different types of items; from common paper and plastics to specialized machines capable of destroying electronic components, and currency. These machines can be small office disintegrators or very large systems that need a dedicated room to be set up and run. Disintegrators can destroy a wide variety of different materials, which conventional paper shredders cannot.

Here’s the secret: disintegrators operate like a giant pair of scissors cutting the material over and over again until it is small enough to go through the security screen. These security screens can be easily changed by the user to generate a larger or smaller particle at will, allowing different security mandates to be followed and met. The waste is then evacuated out of the unit and can be put into a bag, dumpster, compactor, or even made in to environmentally friendly briquettes for recycling.

Paper disintegrators come in many shapes and sizes, but there is a formula that will ensure you get the right size unit for your job. SEM calls it the Simple Six.

1. First, you need to figure out your volume of destruction, and add a little to the number to compensate for growth. This can be determined by daily volume or monthly volume. Disintegrators are sized based on the pounds per hour of destruction that you want to achieve, so this volume needs to be translated into pounds.

2. Once you have this number, you will need to decide how many hours a day or week you want to operate the machine. For example, if you have 2,400 lbs. per week to destroy, and you want to operate it only two hours a week, you will need a disintegrator that is capable of at least 1,200 lbs. per hour. If you want to run it for two hours a day for two days a week you will need a unit that is capable of 600 lbs. per hour.

3. Now you will need to decide what particle size will meet your needs or requirements. The 3/32” particle that is mandated by the NSA for classified, CUI, and top secret information is the smallest particle, but be aware that the smaller the particle the slower the machine will work because the material has to stay in the destruction chamber longer to get to that particle size.

4. The next decision is: how do you want to collect the material? In a bag, send it outside to a dumpster or compactor, or make it into eco-friendly briquettes?

5. Where do you want to operate the machine? These are industrial pieces of equipment and would not be a good fit in a typical office environment. You will need to check the disintegrator dimensions to see if you have the room to accommodate the size machine you are looking for.

6. What kind of power is available in your chosen space? Most disintegrators operate on 3-phase power and will support either 460V/208V or 230V/3-ph/60Hz power. Important- this must be verified prior to ordering-a mistake in the power can be costly to fix once at site.

The answer to these simple questions will easily lead you to the right disintegrator for exactly what you want to accomplish. If you still have questions or need additional consultation, start a chat with us here in the help window or fill out a data destruction questionnaire.

SEM Shred

Tag: sem disintegrator