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Desintegrator
In brief
Ein Desintegrator (auch Disintegrator) ist eine Zerkleinerungsmaschine, die Material mit rotierenden Messern so lange zerschneidet, bis die Teilchen durch ein Sieb mit festgelegter Lochgröße passen. Dadurch entstehen sehr kleine, gleichmäßige Partikel. In der Datenträgervernichtung wird er eingesetzt, wenn hohe Sicherheitsstufen nach DIN 66399 kleine Partikelgrößen verlangen, etwa bei Speicherchips, optischen Datenträgern oder Papier.
Disintegrator and shredder compared
| Feature | Shredder (cutting mechanism) | Disintegrator |
|---|---|---|
| Principle | Cutting rollers shred in a single pass | Rotating knives shred until the material passes through a screen |
| Particle size | Determined by the cutting geometry | Determined by the screen perforation, very small sizes also possible |
| Typical use | Hard drives, data carriers in large quantities | Small particles for high security levels, flash memory, optical media |
The two are often combined: a Hard drive shredder pre-shreds, and a disintegrator then produces the smaller final size.
Disintegrators produce dust and noise and therefore need extraction and sound insulation. They are usually found in specialized destruction facilities.
Relevance for data carrier destruction
DIN 66399 sets a maximum Particle size for each material class and security level. The smaller the storage per area, the smaller the particles must be. For flash memory of Material class E large amounts of data sit on a small chip. High levels there therefore require very small particles. More on the levels in the guide DIN 66399: protection classes and security levels.
Second IT destroys data carriers in-house in accordance with DIN 66399, up to security level H-5 and E-5 (certified for H-5), under video surveillance and with a certificate of destruction.
Frequently asked questions about the disintegrator
Is it spelled Desintegrator or Disintegrator?
Both spellings are common. "Disintegrator" is the English form, "Desintegrator" the Germanized one.
Do you need a disintegrator for SSDs?
For high security levels often yes, because the memory chips are very small. Which level is necessary results from your protection requirement assessment.
Is a disintegrator more secure than a shredder?
It produces smaller particles. Whether that is necessary depends on the data carrier and the required security level.
For which data carriers is a disintegrator used?
Above all for memory chips, optical data carriers and paper. It is used when high security levels under DIN 66399 require small particle sizes. The screen determines how small the particles are in the end.
Can shredders and disintegrators be combined?
Yes, that is common. A hard drive shredder pre-shreds the material, and a disintegrator then produces the smaller final size. Disintegrators produce dust and noise and are therefore usually found in specialized destruction facilities with extraction and sound insulation.
Destroy data carriers in accordance with DIN 66399, with a certificate of destruction.
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