Embracing new habits when loading your Auto Feed Shredder only helps make shredding a breeze.

To better understand loading paper into your shredder, lets take a look at the two main types of automatically fed machines:

The first type has the stack of paper placed externally into a sheet feeder. This feeds the entire length of each page of loaded pages one at a time.

AS100M Loading

The second type conceals the loaded stack of paper covered by a lid. This design introduces paper at varying positions along the page, part way or half-way. The intake of paper is more efficient, essentially folding before feeding at a shorter length and in some cases feeding multiple sheets simultaneously which only makes automatic shredding faster.

AS221M Loading

Added benefits of concealed auto feeders include reduced noise plus the ability to lock un-shredded documents on some medium and larger sized auto feeding shredder brands.

A4 Paper is the most common paper size being shredded by auto feed shredders and makes shredding automatically a straight forward process.

Some variables can impact automatic feeding such as:

Orientation of Stapled Paper: When loading stapled documents, the orientation may cause jamming to shredders with external auto sheet feeders and reading the user manual sould reveal if and how auto feeding stapled documents is possible. On the other hand, concealed automatic shredders feeders are usually less sensitive to the position of stapled documents.

Position of Fasteners: Ensuring fastened papers are stapled only on the corners is another requirement of the majoroty of automatic feeding paper shredder brands. Furthermore the closer staples are positioned to the edge of the document will make automatic shredding stapled sets more reliable. Commonly recommended by several brands, the distance of staples from the edge of the page is to be no greater than 20mm, if stapled further into the page or positions other than the corner will be a  cause of less reliable auto feeding.

Poor Condition Papers: Previously folded and crushed paper is not normally an issue for auto feed shredders however folded papers are best unfolded before loading.

Paper Sizes: Sizes other than A4 unless loaded correctly over the actual feed unit can be missed unless properly stacked.

Paper Weight: External auto sheet feeders better process documents over 120gsm following a straight path, not having to fold more rigid pages. In some cases concealed auto feeders with friction feed have difficulty folding some  heavier grade papers, requiring greater force to start the fold.

Folded Paper: Both external and concealed auto feeders less reliably auto feed folded papers and for this reason, its recommended to unfold these papers to lay flat before loading.

Mixed Paper Sizes: External and concealed auto feeders less reliably feed varying paper sizes loaded together.

For best results, it just takes a little preparation before loading paper into you automatic shredder, the better the preparation, the more reliable auto feeding will be.

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