Stanley Vidmar has begun shipping its Vertical Storage System II (VSS II), a re-designed storage tower with a new belt drive technology that stores and retrieves materials faster than current models. The VSS II is a high-density vertical storage tower that holds a stack of shelves, drawers, or trays in as many as 240 storage locations. When an operator summons an individual shelf, an extractor platform rises up a vertical shaft inside the tower, pulls the shelf out of its storage location, and delivers it to a picking station at the base of the tower. Storage towers have traditionally used a chain drive, cable, or rack and pinion system to store and retrieve shelves. The VSS II replaces these with a Steel Core Timing belt. The belt is similar in concept to the timing belt in a car or truck engine, with teeth on one side to raise and lower the extractor platform. The biggest benefit of the new belt drive is its vertical delivery speed of up to 7.22 feet-per-second, which is double that of some current models. "The belt system is faster, which lets customers store and retrieve more items in less time," according to Dave Mosser, Stanley Vidmar Systems Sales Manager. "And unlike a rack and pinion or chain, it never needs adjusting." He says that the belt is also quieter and smoother than traditional drives. The machine also includes a new extractor design. Like the extractor, the new extractor is faster, quieter, and smoother than older models. The VLM II comes in heights up to 45 feet high, and can store up to 132,000 lbs. Workers control the machine and manage inventory using a touch screen computer running easy-to-use Windows XP® software. The software can automatically adjust vertical drawer spacing to accommodate the height of the stored materials. Drawers can be fitted with adjustable partitions and dividers to organize smaller items.