Going Mainstream admin Wed, 07/01/2015 - 15:00

3D Printing Going MainstreamIs there a 3D printer in your future? It’s really no longer a question of if, but when. That’s because now, after more than three decades, the technology known officially as “additive manufacturing” is finally maturing and mainstreaming—and transforming modern manufacturing in the process.

Motorcycles, ATVs, UTVs, snowmobiles and personal watercraft—small on size, big on entertainment value. And the New Products Showcase at the 2014 SEMA Show was brimming with powersports accessories designed to boost performance, add functionality and enhance appearance. The next few pages highlight the new and featured products displayed in the powersports category of the Showcase.

Mining OEM CAD Files Through SEMA’s Tech Transfer Program

Among SEMA’s many member services is its Tech Transfer program, designed to help product developers and manufacturers design and create quality components and items for vehicles from original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) data files. The program traces its roots back to 1999, when Ford first provided vehicle blueprints to SEMA to share with association members. Now housed in the new SEMA Garage—Industry Innovations Center, the Tech Transfer program has grown to encompass a wide-ranging digital catalog of CAD files from Ford, GM, Scion and Chrysler (including Fiat, Jeep and RAM). While simple in concept, accessing the program may at first appear a little daunting for first-timers. To help explain its ins and outs, SEMA News sat down for a Q&A with Gary Pis, SEMA vehicle data product manager, who coordinates the program.

Today’s Hot-Rod Market admin Mon, 06/01/2015 - 11:36

Cars & Coffee–SEMA Edition will be open each morning of the 2013 SEMA Show from 8:00 a.m.–9:00 a.m.Legacy Stylings Meet New Technologies

The automotive aftermarket owes quite a bit to hot rodders. While, technically, the industry existed prior to the street scene of the ’50s, it was hot rodders who sparked the explosion of innovative performance and appearance products that now characterize the heart and soul of the automotive specialty-equipment market. They made tinkering with, modifying and personalizing cars cool, catapulting the industry into the $33-billion powerhouse it is today. And although the industry has since grown and broadened to encompass a dizzying array of products and trends in countless categories, hot rodding has hardly faded from the scene.

Smaller and lighter is in. KICKER’s PXA200.1 monoblock amplifier mixes high power and low current draw with an ultra-small chassis to add vital bass to an audio system while retaining the vehicle’s factory look—and it is weather-resistant. More Information and Entertainment Come Into the Car

Smartphones permeate American society. They’ve become much more than communications devices, providing Internet access for mobile e-mail, texting, navigation and dozens of applications ranging from dieting and exercise to photography and literature.

Media Giant FB Life Provides Insight

The specialty-equipment market in China is booming, with perhaps no sector growing more rapidly than the off-road market. SEMA News recently talked about the off-road scene with Baokun LV, co-founder of FBLife.com and executive general manager of FB Life, a Chinese media giant and a platform for off-road enthusiasts and service suppliers.

IT security experts warn that there’s been a spike in the scourge of ransomware—malicious software that freezes a computer, encrypts all of its data and demands a ransom for the system’s restoration. Since February 2013, more than 600,000 victims worldwide have reportedly been infected with just one variant of the malware, CryptoWall, according to an October 2014 report released by DellIT security experts warn that there’s been a spike in the scourge of ransomware—malicious software that freezes a computer, encrypts all of its data and demands a ransom for the system’s restoration. Since February 2013, more than 600,000 victims worldwide have reportedly been infected with just one variant of the malware, CryptoWall, according to an October 2014 report released by Dell.

“This is the next generation of ransomware, and you can expect this new version to spread like wildfire,” said Stu Sjouwerman, CEO of KnowBe4, a firm that specializes in IT security awareness training for small- and medium-size businesses.

SEMA was formed in 1963, and the first Show took place four years later, under the bleachers at Dodger Stadium.Over the past 52 years, SEMA has developed a track record of assisting members in a variety of areas related to industry and business development. The mission of “helping members’ businesses succeed and prosper” is steeped in history and first grew out of a need for consistency and community among racing industry members.

In the early years, as the industry grew, specifications remained a challenge. It became clear that a partnership was needed for manufacturers. Regulations were necessary in order to keep moving forward, but the manufacturers needed to organize. Discussions began on how to create specifications and legitimize products and, on March 26, 1963, the Speed Equipment Manufacturers Association (SEMA) was formed in response.

From malware that collects login and password information to hackers getting their hands on unencrypted data and the theft of credit- and debit-card information during payment transactions, the opportunities for modern criminals abound. Containing Costs in the Data-Breach Era

During a recent speech at the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), President Obama reminded us: “If we’re going to be connected, then we need to be protected.” The sentiment summarizes a growing problem facing businesses that rely on modern technology to transact business: the data breach.

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