MAC MILLS, INVENTOR’S FRIEND

Compiled by Chuck Umeda

From a Presentation to

Inventors Association of Arizona, August, 2000

The Inventor has a great idea. A follow-on roadblock: how to get a functioning model, a prototype. There are a number of options the Inventor might pursue. One of these would be to contact Mac Mills, who describes himself as “predominantly a proto-typer.” He can take your idea and sketch a preliminary design concept and then provide you with an attractively designed, fully functional prototype for presentation to any financial, marketing and production prospects.

His Prototypes are accomplished with imagination supported by over forty years of Engineering-design experience gained in a wide variety of R & D projects involving Mechanical, Electronic and Optical prototyping to gain proof-of-design applications. Mac has been a member of the Inventors Association of Arizona since August 1997.

Mac can be reached by phone at 520-886-4721, fax. 520-298-7214 or

E-mail  Mcsprint@aol.com

Mac began his Engineering-design education in a Special-education program at the University of Minnesota. He has worked as a Design-engineer and Supervisor for 3-M, RCA and twenty years at Hughes Aircraft Company. He also taught Engineering-design at the JC level for seven years. During his years at Hughes he helped establish and became the Manager of a “Skunk-works.”  This was a separately funded and controlled operation responsible for the Prototype Development of new product ideas. He was additionally responsible for the review and approval of Patent Applications.

He was once introduced at a Hughes Management function as one of the company’s Outstanding Engineers. A Hughes Vice President interrupted. “Mac Mills is not an Engineer. He is not disciplined enough to be an Engineer. He is, however, an outstanding Design-engineer” A put down? No, because he was saying this man is unconventional. And that describes Mac: creative, imaginative, and unafraid to do things in a different way with the highest level of integrity. A client once stated, “I hope you didn’t bite-off more than you can chew!” Mac replied, “I sure hope I did. That is the adventure that drives me to seek new and improved Engineering-design applications!”

Current and previous projects include, Tools: aircraft, automotive, marine, gemstone, surgical and cosmetic. Appliances: Electro-mechanical and optical for home and commercial applications and devices for the physically handicapped. Toys, Games and Sport items: for both children and adults. Mac enjoys the challenge of developing a wide variety of new product ideas.

Mac works primarily from his Home-office. This offers timeless access to his physical assets of computers, drawing boards and a complete prototype shop. He also, through an associate, has access to a complete electronic analytical design laboratory that includes printed circuit board design and fabrication.

Mac provides fee services for Patent Research, Engineering-Design, Prototype and Provisional Patent Applications. After research is completed further contract work begins with his draft of a Preliminary-design. This is generally in the form of hand sketches that are often modified during his hands-on design applications during Prototype Development.

He will not declare the prototype complete until he feels confident that all requirements have been satisfied. He can then provide you with as-built engineering drawings in any format including CAD or Solid Works.

He encourages being open-minded about your idea with realism, recognizing that less than one percent of all Patent Application products find the marketplace. A major reason for this failure rate is that product ideas are expressed too abstractly or complexly to be feasible.

Prototype Development will clarify these issues and much more. KISS (keep it simple stupid) is a primary consideration for all Mac Mills designed prototypes. This basic axiom gives follow-on manufacturing and end-user effects that affect the best chance for success.

The Patent Search process is primary to the potential success of your Idea. Mac provides “Basic research” ($95) this includes a comprehensive patent search with print-outs of the front page of those issues that may encumber your patent idea. A “Enhanced search” ($190) includes a detailed look at all similar patents back to 1885 with print-outs of the complete patent issues that may encumber your patent idea.