Luminary Of Rad Cam
Professor Antoni K. Oppenheim was the guiding force behind this project—a true pioneer in combustion research. His work on internal combustion (IC) engines dates back to the 1940s when he contributed to the advancement of military aircraft engines in the UK, having fled his homeland of Poland. Understanding combustion inside an IC engine is no simple feat. It occurs in a concealed space where volume, pressure, temperature, and flame fronts shift at nearly incomprehensible speeds—just below the speed of sound. Professor Oppenheim recognized that the Otto cycle engine needed to be replaced, but achieving that goal was a formidable challenge. Yet, he was never deterred. Armed with an endless stream of innovative ideas, he tackled each roadblock with quiet determination. His wisdom and ingenuity played a vital role in shaping the Earthstar Rad Cam engine, proving the viability of many of his suggestions. His contributions continue to inspire, and his presence is deeply missed.
Mechanical Consultant
Smokey Yunick was one of the most innovative and knowledgeable engine designers in the world, lending his expertise to major automakers such as Hudson, Ford, and General Motors. In 1991, shortly after Duncalf accepted Professor Oppenheim’s challenge to develop a truly "ideal engine," he reached out to Smokey for insight. Just days after discussing Oppenheim’s vision for improved piston dynamics, Smokey called back with a pivotal recommendation—a constant acceleration cam profile. He explained that this design would minimize initial force on the engine while maximizing dwell time at both ends of the stroke, optimizing efficiency and performance. His forward-thinking approach to fuel efficiency and power output—particularly through reclaiming waste heat—directly influenced the development of our internal cooling concept. His confidence in our work was unwavering, and today, we can finally say that his faith in our success has been earned.
CTO and Patent holder
Jim’s vision is rooted in events dating back to 1923, an era before rural electrification. At just 15, his father took it upon himself to electrify the family farm, repurposing a broken windmill to generate power. He stored this energy in salvaged railroad signal batteries, making the farm a local marvel, known county-wide as the "electric farm." But this triumph was short-lived. Twelve years later, the system was outlawed. Local authorities stormed his parents' private property, destroyed the self-sustaining energy system, and forced them to connect to a privately owned coal-powered electric plant—an enterprise controlled by the wealthiest men in the region. Today, history seems to be repeating itself. Across many countries, large private electric companies are pushing for legal monopolies on motive power, seeking total control over how society generates and consumes energy. What they don’t openly admit is that the energy they promote is, in reality, “the deadliest energy in the world.”
Engine designer/builder
Mark Beierle, head of design and major stockholder at Earthstar Aircraft Company, was the first licensee of the Rad Cam engine. Leading his team through multiple prototype iterations, he played a crucial role in refining the design. The final prototype—a production-ready version—provided undeniable proof that Professor Oppenheim’s theories on combustion dynamics, documented in his papers and books, were correct. Together, Duncalf, Yunick, and Beierle transformed Oppenheim’s concepts into a functioning engine with a thermal efficiency approaching 50%—a groundbreaking achievement in powertrain innovation. Beierle’s expertise in engine design, his relentless dedication to building and testing, and his determination to see the Rad Cam succeed were instrumental in turning it into a practical and efficient power source capable of revolutionizing the EV sector. Had the economic crisis of 2008 not disrupted funding opportunities just as he was seeking seed capital, the project may have moved forward at an even faster pace. His efforts laid the groundwork for Kamtech's On Board Energy technology.
Every breakthrough technology undergoes three critical phases: concept, development, and commercialization. In the case of automotive engines, the concept and patent emerged in 1861, thanks to Alphonse Beau de Rochas. Yet, commercialization took nearly three decades, finally arriving in 1888 with the sale of the first Benz Patent-Motorwagen. The development of the Kamtech OBE system has followed a similarly demanding path—one built on dedication rather than full-time commitment. The experts who contributed to this decade-long endeavor did so not for personal gain, but out of a shared vision: to advance energy conservation and create a cleaner, more peaceful world. This same motivation has long driven renowned academicians, whose groundbreaking innovations often go unnoticed beyond rarely read technical papers. But history has proven one constant—success belongs to those who rise after every setback and keep moving forward.
The foundation of the Rad Cam engine was first fully conceived in the fall of 1991, during a pivotal meeting between retired UC Berkeley Professor Antoni (Toni) K. Oppenheim and Donald James (Jim) Duncalf. However, the need to replace the 1861 Otto Cycle engine had been recognized long before. What followed was a 13-year journey of problem-solving, redesign, building, and testing multiple prototypes. Eventually, Earthstar’s production version clearly demonstrated the efficiency advantage of the radial cam concept over the conventional 4-stroke engine. Along the way, countless modifications were made—the team lost track of how many. Developing the Rad Cam engine has been an intense and costly process, with hundreds of intricate challenges that required innovative solutions. The final two hurdles brought the project to Vietnam, where—after exhaustive trial and error—the team finally found the solutions that worked.
Kamtech’s groundbreaking On Board Energy (OBE) technology offers electric vehicle manufacturers a chance to break free from reliance on the “deadliest energy in the world” and redefine the EV market. We’ve brought this innovation as far as our resources and human endurance can take it. Now, we need a partner—an EV company with both the vision to expand its market share and the financial strength to navigate the media landscape and industry power brokers influenced by the Environmental Industrial Complex. If your company is ready to lead the charge in transforming the future of electric mobility, contact us today at +84-79-478-1600.