Constituent Complexity

An ordered list of things by the order of magnitude of parts they require to construct.

  • Automatic Watch Movement (~102 parts): The ETA 7750 which is the internal movement for most chronograph watches is made from a little over 70 parts. ETA 7750 Manual

  • Wind Turbine (~104 parts): Per the US Dept. Of Energy, “Currently, the average utility-scale wind turbine contains roughly 8,000 parts, including blades up to 100 meters (over 300 feet) in length and towers over 80 meters (262 feet) high, roughly the height of the Statue of Liberty.” Wind Manufacturing and Supply Chain

  • EUV Lithography Machine (~105 parts): ASML, the primary producer of the extreme ultraviolet lithography machines, estimate that their machines contain around 100,000 parts. Busting ASML Myths

  • World War II Bomber (~105 parts): The World War II era B-25 Mitchell bomber needed 165,000 parts in addition to 150,000 rivets. Freedom’s Forge, pg. 116

  • Large Commercial Airplane (~106 − 107 parts): The Boeing 777 has roughly 4 million parts. Rivets alone are estimated to make up about one quarter of all individual parts. The Airplane: A History of Its Technology, pg 353

  • Fusion Reactor (~107 parts): As of 2014, ITER estimated that construction would require around 1 million components which corresponded to 10 million individual parts. ITER News Briefing

If you have other things which you think belong on the list please reach out to me with the order of magnitude approximation of parts and a reliable source.