behrcolls@aol.com
Question
of the week
by Jen Henderson,
assistant news editor
"I called my mom and
changed my voice to
sound like someone else's
I told her that I was
arrested."
Nigel Schneider
ME, 02
RASO raises funds with raffle
by Erin McCarty
news editor
Anyone passing by Bruno's this week
most likely noticed members of the
Returning Adult Student Organization
(RASO) selling raffle tickets across the
hall. Those who bought tickets have a
chance to win one of 16 prizes provided
by local establishments.
"We want to acknowledge the
generosity of our contributors," said Fred
Langill, vice president of RASO. Nick
Scott of Scott Enterprises donated about
$4OO worth of prizes, including several
overnight prize packages and tickets to
Splash Lagoon. The Flagship Niagara
League contributed two family
memberships prize packages worth more
than $lOO, and Staples Office Supply and
Tinseltown Theatres donated several gift
certificates and movie passes.
Langill also said he appreciates for the
support from RASO advisors Biddy
Brooks, from the Division of
Undergraduate Studies; and Ann
Burbulus, who works in admissions.
RASO is a campus organization
geared toward non-traditional students,
adults over age 24 who are returning to
college after an extended absence or
starting college for the first time. Its
officers include Langill; Therea Martin,
president; and Karen Wilson, secretary.
Some of the proceeds of the raffle will
go to the American Red Cross or a
veterans' service organization in order
Crawford finds meaning in life
by Courtney Straub
health page editor
On Thursday, Debbie Crawford, a
junior at Penn State Behrend, was the
guest speaker at Soup for the Soul. She
talked about how meaningful life can
be when you take a step back and
examine your experiences. She was
enthusiastic about getting the
opportunity to talk about her life.
"[Soup for the Soul] gave me a
chance to challenge myself and
examine my faith more closely," said
Crawford.
Around age 6, Crawford was
baptized Catholic. She didn't start her
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Behrend junior Debbie Crawford discusses how reflection has given her life
focus.
"My roommate set my alarm
ahead and I woke,,up an hour
early.'
Jessica Dunn
English, 04
to assist overseas soldiers
"Regardless of why they're there or
what they're doing, we want to show our
support for the troops," said Langill,
who is a veteran.
The remainder of the proceeds will go
to fund RASO projects, such as the
developing plan of mentoring incoming
adult students. Langill is frustrated with
the current system as students are often
unprepared for the particular challenges
they will face in certain courses. He said
PHOTO BY ERIN McCARTY
RASO vice president Fred Langill and advisor Biddy Brooks collect raffle
tickets across from Bruno's. Proceeds from the raffle will benefit RASO and
overseas troops.
spiritual journey, however, until age 11.
All of the teachers at her school went
on strike so she was sent to St. John's,
a Catholic school. This was a major
milestone in her life.
At St. John's, she began to develop
her relationship with God but it wasn't
until she went to Villa Maria Academy
that she really connected with God.
Throughout the day, the academic
lessons she was learning also related to
her spiritually.
"Once I got to Villa, they really
nurtured you and helped you with your
faith," said Crawford.
During Crawford's senior year in
high school, both her parents were
NJiIM
Friday April 4, 2003
"Crushed lifesavers up and
then put them in the shower
head."
Greg Nardine Mangmt, 04
Chris Ober Mangmt, 04
that with someone who has had
experience at Behrend guiding them,
incoming students would be able to
schedule the correct courses and prepare
for them more effectively.
"Adult students have many personal
obligations that don't go away when they
start school," Langill said. "They can
help each other out as time passes."
The winners of RASO's raffle will be
announced in next week's Beacon.
hospitalized at different times. On top
of that, she was dealing with the
transition from high school to college.
These events made her focus on the
important things in life.
"It opened my eyes up to find
meaning in things," said Crawford.
A couple of weeks ago, Crawford was
a candle holder during a prayer service
at the Smith Chapel. During the
service, she caught herself on fire. The
fire started on her sleeve and jumped
to her back. Luckily, the Chaplain came
to her rescue and patted the fire out.
Afterwards, while thinking about the
experience, she could not find a
meaning in it. Crawford has noticed
that sometimes it can take days, months,
or years to find the meaning. She is
okay with that because eventually the
experience will make sense.
"Usually, everything that happens to
me I can find meaning in but, I've
learned to appreciate what I have now,"
said Crawford.
One thing that helps Crawford find
the meaning in things is to see God in
her experiences.
"When I look for meaning in things,
I look for God's love," said Crawford.
One quote that she really believes
summarizes her life is from the book,
"Tuesdays with Morrie": "So many
people walk around with a meaningless
life. They seem half-asleep, even when
they're busy doing things they think are
important. This is because they're
chasing the wrong things. The way you
get meaning into your life is to devote
yourself to loving others, devote
yourself to your community around
you, and devote yourself to creating
something that gives you purpose and
meaning."
"I never played one."
Susan Taylor
Political Science, 06
Rose shares
Behrend engineers
by Mike Butala
associate editor
On March 27, David M. Rose spoke
to Behrend students regarding "the
latest innovation for cold and hot runner
systems in injection molding".
The Materials Information Society
hosted the student night where Rose
spoke on Beaumont Runner
Technology, which is "revolutionizing
runner designs for injection molding."
Beaumont Runner Technology was
founded in 1998 by C.E.0., President,
and Penn State Behrend professor John
Beaumont. The vision and mission was
to bring runner technology from an art
and convert it to a science.
Beaumont Runner Technology
mainly focuses on the melt delivery
system in injection molding and acts as
a better alternative than naturally
balanced runners. The melt delivery
system is the series of channels that
allows molten plastic to flow into the
cavities to create plastic parts; however,
it has been proven that if an incorrect
melt delivery system is used,
unacceptable plastic parts will result.
Since the melt delivery system is the
largest factor in molding variation, it is
important to create the most stable
environment for polymer flow. In
typical polymer flow, the effect of shear
stress in the melt delivery system can
create up to 50 percent difference in
weight. Beaumont Runner
Technologies patented invention, "The
Melt Flipper," can lower these
imbalances to a mere 10 percent with
little, or miniscule, refashioning of the
original melt delivery system.
The result of the "Melt Flipper" is a
uniform shear balance in the melt
delivery system after each branch in the
melt delivery system, also known as a
runner, has successfully filled and has
flowed into another runner branch. This
is possible because the "Melt Flipper"
actually rotates the melt in the runner
so that the high shear material is evenly
distributed within the melt delivery
system. This has been replacing
traditional methods of altering part
gates, modifying runner diameters, or
changing temperature zones. The
"Melt Flipper" is the "first truly
bal, run. xi liki'
The Behrend Beacon
• "I put sugar in my Morn
• and Dad's salt shakers and
• they put that in their coffee."
• • will Sunday
Poly Sci, 06
expertise with
previous methods. is the only alternative
insensitive to process or material
altercations; an equal plastic part with
result every time.
"If you can control the melt properties
you can enhance precision" and the
"Melt Flipper" does control it, said Rose.
This benefits the plastic industry
because it will eliminate excessive set
up times, decrease scrap rates. increase
production time, decrease the
probability of sticking parts, and is not.
unlike other methods, a limiting factor
for high cavitations. Using
"Melt Flippe - technology, equivalent
parts are produced from a traditional 64-
cavity mold and up to 96-cavities using
hot drops. Overall, Beaumont Runner
Technologies creates parts with little or
no variation between cycles. This saves
money, time, and resources.
The future of "Beaumont Runner
Technology" is focusing on creating
"hot-runner" melt delivery systems,
"Melt Flipper" inserts, and creating flow
simulation software to graphically
represent how the "MeltFlipper
technology is superior to previous
methods, which is not included in
traditional flowing simulation software.
The Materials Information Society
also urges students to join technical
societies because they are relatively
inexpensive, can network you into
future jobs, enhance resume building.
increase accessibility to technical
information, offers travel and plant
tours, increases leadership capabilities,
offers scholarships, and it is fun.
The Materials Information Society
holds an annual Student Night to inform
students in all northwestern
Pennsylvania schools. They are a part
of the Erie Engineering Society Council
which includes the Society of Plastic
Engineers, the American Chemical
Society, the Society of Manufacturing
Engineers, the Constructions
Specification Institute and many others.
For more information on Beaumont
Runner Technology and the
"Melt Flipper", go to http://
www.meltflipper.com and learn about
how the Five Step Process clearly
illustrates what the problems
conventional runner systems include
and how the "Melt Flipper" corrects
th,
Page 3
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picts the
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hrend,
Lvid Rose
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ention
INTRIBUTED
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