The specification table for the industrial cardboard shredder lists cutting width as a number, and most buyers compare that number across suppliers. The guide on the same page explains why the comparison is incomplete. What really determines how thick a machine can cut, how wide it can go, and how long it lasts is the cutter shaft, and the shaft is the component the table describes only indirectly.
Start with the width itself. Aircosan industrial models start at 550mm and go up to 900mm on the P90 and 1200mm on the P120. The guide states that the wider the shaft, the more complex the forces and the easier it deforms, and that above 500mm is itself a technical barrier. Reaching 1200mm is described as a comprehensive test of machining precision, material performance, and process control. The page also states that currently basically no peer on the market can produce equipment this wide. That is a claim about manufacturing capability, not about a specification number, and it explains why the width row is a proxy for the shaft behind it.
Now the part the width row hides. At the same 550mm cutting width, the guide states that Aircosan shafts are larger and thicker than peers, with more material and about 30% higher cost. It also gives a practical way to check. Placing two machines side by side, the difference in shaft thickness and volume is obvious. A more intuitive way to judge is the overall machine weight, because larger and thicker shafts make the machine noticeably heavier. That is why the net weight row on the table is worth reading alongside the width row. P50 is around 140kg, P80 is around 205kg, P90 is 504kg, and P120 is 715kg. The weight grows faster than the width, and that growth is the shaft.
The material behind the shaft is the next detail. The guide states that most peers use 45# steel, while Aircosan uses 40Cr. Both need quenching and hardening, but 40Cr has lower brittleness and stronger impact resistance, and its machining time is more than twice that of 45#. Machining costs go up, but the guide describes the result as blade breakage thoroughly solved. For a business cutting large amounts of cardboard every day, the page states that stability comes before everything.
The process behind the material is the third detail. Aircosan shafts are designed for a service life of over five years and go through lathe machining, high-frequency treatment, quenching, blackening, and multiple other processes. Each process directly affects hardness, toughness, and wear resistance. That is why the guide describes the cost as higher but the shaft as more durable, with lower maintenance and downtime over time.
The fourth detail is the one buyers cannot see from the outside. The guide notes that side sheet metal fits tightly with no gaps, so paper dust cannot enter the gears and cause abnormal noise or long-term wear. Some machines on the market have gaps near the gears, and burrs and paper dust enter easily, causing abnormal noise and, over time, wearing down internal structures. That detail does not appear on the specification table, but it determines how the machine behaves in year three.
The fifth detail is overload protection. The machine uses a branded motor with ample power, so thick and hard cardboard feeds smoothly without repeated jamming at the inlet. When a jam occurs, overload protection automatically cuts power and stops the machine, protecting the motor. Many machines on the market lack overload protection, and the guide describes the consequence plainly. When jammed, the cutter shaft stops but the motor keeps running, risking motor burnout or even overheating.
Put together, those five details explain why two machines with the same 550mm cutting width can behave differently after a year of daily use. The width row tells the buyer what the machine is designed to accept. The shaft behind the width row tells the buyer how long the machine will keep accepting it.
Aircosan machines use a branded motor with ample power, so thick and hard cardboard feeds smoothly without repeated jamming at the inlet. Die life is generally 1.0 to 1.3 million meters depending on material and usage. The output is biodegradable packaging and degradable packing material, a practical alternative of plastic packaging. It supports reuse cartons and paper recycling. Aircosan runs its own parts processing factory, controlling part quality in-house rather than assembling from mixed outside sources. The company supports logo customization from one piece and color customization from ten pieces. Products carry CE, ROHS, and UKCA certifications and hold an exclusive EU patent. After-sales responds within 12 hours and connects customers directly with engineers.
For a buyer, the practical approach is to ask three questions before comparing prices. What is the shaft material. How much does the machine weigh at the width I need. Does the machine have overload protection. The answers separate machines that will last from machines that will need replacing, and they matter more than the number in the width row.