$725,000,000 Gundam
Ever wondered how much it would cost to build a working, life-sized Gundam robot? At least $725 million for the parts and materials, according to an estimate published on the SciencePortal website run by the Japan Science and Technology Agency. The price tag for this giant humanoid, which would stand 18 meters (60 feet) tall and weigh 43.4 metric tons (nearly 100,000 lbs), does not include the cost of labor (this is where an extensive pool of robot slave labor comes in handy), nor does it include the cost of the infrastructure needed to support the machine once you are ready to climb aboard and take it for a walk.
Estimated cost of Gundam parts:
| ITEM | UNIT COST | QTY | COST |
| Aluminum alloy (honeycomb) | $1,800 | 43,875 | $79,000,000 |
| (+ Metal manufacturing/processing) | $240,000,000 | ||
| Main computer (IBM) | $1,550,000 | 1 | $1,550,000 |
| Gas turbine engines (GE) | $52,000,000 | 7 | $364,000,000 |
| Superconductive motors (IHI) | $260,000 | 30 | $7,800,000 |
| Motor drivers | $260,000 | 30 | $7,800,000 |
| Reducers | $760,000 | 30 | $22,800,000 |
| Sensors | $910,000 | ||
| Cockpit | $450,000 | ||
| TOTAL: | $724,310,000 |
Note that unlike in the anime, the Gundam described here would merely be able to walk — it would not have the ability to fly or have any fancy weaponry. Also, instead of Gundanium, the robot would be covered in aluminum alloy plating.
An IBM Blue Gene supercomputer would serve as the Gundam’s computer system ($1.5 million sounds like a steal), and its movements would be driven by 30 giant 400KW motors — 12 in the legs, 2 in the torso, 14 in the arms, and 2 in the neck. A 400KW motor is quite powerful — by comparison, the Shinkansen bullet train uses a 300KW motor. The motors alone would cost $7.8 million, but to power them would require the equivalent of 7 Apache helicopter engines (the helicopters cost an estimated $52 million each).
While $700 million is a lot of money (more than the GDP of Liberia, Grenada and a dozen or so other nations), it does not seem like so much when you compare it to the cost of other large-scale machinery. Military tanks costs around $4 to $7 million each, commercial passenger planes cost around $200 to $300 million, rockets can cost around $100 million to launch, expensive fighter jets can cost billions, and aircraft carriers cost about $5 billion.
A robot of this size and stature would face a number of physical challenges, such as the inability to walk without completely destroying the ground surface beneath its feet. When humans walk, we exert about 1.5 times our body weight of pressure on the ground (and on our feet) with each step. This poses a huge problem for a 43-ton humanoid, which would probably need to have very wide feet (to distribute the pressure over a larger area) and walk very very slowly. Dinosaurs found a way to get around, though, so giant robots probably can, too.
But perhaps the greatest challenge of all would be to find the funding for an enormous walking machine with no apparent practical or military application. With no money, this Gundam will forever remain just a dream.
[Source: SciencePortal]
some people should have all their money taken away so that they don’t buy stupid stuff like materials for a gundam
What they should do is invite loads of people to donate to them, maybe give some percentage to charity. There’s loads of nerds out there willing to contribute to something like this.
If it’s not made of gundanium, it’s not worth building. Just sayin’, is all.
…just, I love you Japanese ;)
“Mom, can I have one more piece of cake. This damn giant robot took it away…” ;)
cheers
Probably a little pricey for most :>{
[…] musing involves an 18-meter Gundam robot, and the important question of “How much?” SciencePortal calculated the cost of parts and materials should somebody gets crazy enough to build one using […]
Build A Gundam For $725 Million…
The SciencePortal website estimates that producing a life-sized Gundam would cost a total of $725 million….
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its so frikin possible now. they would easily reduce the cost a couple hundred million if they made it into 45 ft or 40 ft rather than the 60ft originally. i mean if every anime fan in the world donated like 100 dollars it could happen. i mean bill gates could do it if he wanted to its not that much money(when i say this i mean a total accumulation of all the money in the world or possibly the billions wasted on nukes tanks guns and bullets…)
i mean what if the world had to the fact that gundams are the future way of fighting… i would pilot one!
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In my opinion,to build large full scale gundam will be a freak enough for the pocket of share holder. But if the scale is downsized and replacing by easier design it probably will be true.
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This is rather absurd. The costs for modern war machines is not for the parts, most of it is for development costs, which takes anywhere from 5 - 10 years with hundreds of engineers and millions of dollars in purpose built equipment. The billions of dollars the US government pays for those stealth bombers is to recoup the development costs. If it would cost $730million for the parts for a Gundam, the costs of engineering the design and building it all from scratch would probably run in the 10s of billions or more.
I would put it in the low billions range, On top of making it smaller and replacing the Aluminium with Carbon fibre.
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I can’t decide whether to buy this or the zoid. I have no idea what to spend this money on.
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*Sigh* you dumbass you forgot some key facts I mean yes it will cost allot of money but walking slowly big feet HA look your feet they not wide or huge to take away force when we walk we have something. *I forget what is called* that absorbs some of our body weight when we walk I mean come on. LOOK AT THE SCIENCE jeez planes lets look at planes shall what do plane’s have…give up?
SHOCK ABSORBERS when a plane lands it bends down cuz of the shocks and force and weight hmmm now lets take those away what would happen?
it would crash boom fire dead people when a mobile walks the shocks in the feet and legs absorb the pressure ok now then leeeets look at ourselves ok what would happen if we jump from a high place like a tree if we didn’t bend down what would happen?……give up?
We would end up breaking our legs it be painful really painful so when a mobile suit jumps and lands the shocks in the feet and legs well absorb a lil bit of pressure plus it will bend down to absorb more I mean. YES it will leave a mark BUT not as big of mark or hole Jesus look at the science BEFORE you write something like this. And the jets are possible but that needs more time and you forgot something THE CAMARAS how do you see out there are quite a few camera’s big ones I will tell you were they are hidden IN PLAIN SIGHT. There are 3 or 4 fore in one eye so there altogether are 6 or 8 cameras in 2 eyes put together. And 2 in the head 1 big one in the front and in the back what did you think that crust was running along his head some decoration ya now for every part on a mobile suit it has a use it not all for decoration. Well before I keep talking bout how it works and everything it needs how it moves ETC ETC ETC so in conclusion look at the science learn how it works BEFORE you make some shit up on how you think it works.
Hey Joe,
How about learning how to spell before you explain the “science” of an animated robot.
“THE CAMARAS how do you see out there are quite a few camera’s big ones I will tell you were they are hidden IN PLAIN SIGHT.”
Camaras? HIDDEN in PLAIN SIGHT?!
Oh noes…
JUMPJETS!!! a mech with out jumpjets is retarded, if np jumpjets how about some chain guns or something…anyhow thats pretty cool
oh yea this guy talking about “the science” your gay…you must have alot of time to think about this gay shit, pussy.
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While I don’t like how joe exposed it, there something in there that are true.
For a robot like that to move, would be needed someting like the pneumatic chambers of a car’s wheel in both the foots.
of course, just that wouldn’t make it, but it’s a start…
[…] we have the answer: $725 million. At least that’s the figure someone at SciencePortal (via Pink Tentacle) came up with, sourcing all the components needed to build an 18 meter-tall […]
How about a smaller type Gundam with hover ability’s. Lightweight aromored core where the cockpit would be for speed (no head). The weak armor could stop heavy machine gun fire for a while. The CPU would have to detect rpg fire and other rockets and control evasive moves automatically . The costs of engineering the design and building wouldn’t have to be too much being that all parts are in use today. Half-hover craft with (boosters, or jumpjets!) half-tank with arms!! Programming the CPU could be hard.I think speed is the answer.
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THE GUNDAM HEAD IS LIKE THE COOLEST PART OF A Gundam…….. and soon i think the army mite consider gundams as a way to get rid of there enemys quicker. With all this technologe it wouldnt be that hard to build a gundam…… it still would take alot of time and money. But in 20 or 30 years they just make consider it. I would love to be in the cockpit of a gundam. I would maybe join the army then.
P.S I read on a newspaper online that some nation are considering it.
Well currently sense there is no real use for Gundams what they should do is make a smaller type Mecha machine with the use of Track wheels that would be less exspensive and more movable.It should be piloted by 2 people ,a driver and a shooter. With this project they could use it as a foundation. Using this would lower the price by at least 30million. (just a suggestion) Instead of using this Machine for a War weapon it could start as a new type of League. This would take years upon years to happen but like i said (just a suggestion)
or except for making it like 60ft tall make it like 30 or 40 feet tall that might leave some money 4 weapons and jets.
@Anon
>>Is it just me, or does anyone else >>think giant walking robots are a >>huge military liability?…
I’ve been thinking too much about this, and i think a solution involving nanophase materials instead of standard aluminum would both lighten the the entire superstructure, redically increase armor/durability, as well as it being a nanaophase material makes it a prime candidate for translucentcy. Giving it the ability to leverage present light reflection, and admittedly low-grade “invisibility” techniques involving projecting, or reproducing the terrian behind to yield adapotive camoflage (already in use on many tanks). As far as the legs being vulnerable i think they would be designed with that flaw in mind, and would have several reactive technologies to counteract attacks which focus on that area. And other area’s. The design can be engineerd to withstand the majority of projecticle weaponary (like a tank) with little to no damage. Active/Intelligent projectices involving sometype of computer system tech can be either targeted and destoryed in advance, or reduced to a “regular” projectile with a EMP type weapon that triggered off some type of proximity detection. those aren’t *all* of the way or ideas, just a few that i came up with quickly.
Also the pricing on these parts are reflecting the highest potential price in many cirumstances, and a rather low tech approach to solving design problems. Something like this would most likely call for atomic batteries or a micro-nuclear reactor like the one toshiba’s building
so Nano materials give us super armor and a moderate degree of camoflage
intelligent engineering gives us enchanced resistence to obvious attacks; enhanced active and passive protection against “intelligent” attacks, and potentially far greater agility and range than any other ground based military technology.
As for taking a direct hit; the armor could be dseign with an overlapping plating system for a. increased mobility and dexterity, and b. to recapture engergy used to push the armor plates forward or backward… The only way i can think of to describe this tech is some colleges, grocery stores, and malls have doors with energy reclmation motors attached to them; you’ll notice it because it’s harder to open the doors, and you can almost feel or hear a motor type grinding or vibration when you open the door. These are hooked to batteries, which are charged when you open the door, and assist in powering the automatic/handicapped doors in an almost altruistic symbyosis of energy reclamation. I envision the same tech recapturing the Force of a projectile exploding, or “hitting” the armor which instead of denting the armor, pushes it inward, driving the reclamation motor, absorbing the force of impact, and recharge battieries of sometype on the Mecha either for EMP or other energy related activities.
as crazy as it sounds, what i’m describing is not far-fetched. It’s leveraging existing cutting-edge technology to create a truly desirable war machine that any government or paraniod billionare would be proud to own in the worst case scenario.
xaustinx@gmail.com
THATS WHAT I was sayin
in diffent words it reallt wouldnt be a big deal for all those billionares. An if the army really wants to win wars they should follows austins idea of building a gundam.
(other nations are already doin it)!!!!!!!
Fun article. I do think a giant robot (mobile suit) of this size would be both awkward and expensive. A couple of people brought up some interesting points, though. A smaller machine would be cheaper to produce as well as more practical. The original mobile suits shown in the anime was developed for space combat. Their size was probably due to both the size of their powerplants as well as to need to carry anti ship weapons. Their humanoid shape was just a hold over from the heavy space suits that they evolved from. Later in the show, mecha even abandoned the human form.
If an incarnation of the giant robot/mobile suit were to make an appearance as an actual piece of military hardware I would think it would be much smaller in size. Our modern type of warfare would dictate something we could air drop from a C-17. It would be able to survive small arms, rpg’s, IUD’s etc. Like our current tanks they would thermal sensors, night vision smoke dischargers, etc but in a package that was more suited for urban combat. 60 foot mobile suit, isn’t necessary, but maybe a 10-20 foot tall mech to breakdown doors and support infantry… I could see that happening in our lifetime.
if they could build that im sure im the first to ride it :)
[…] application. With no money, this Gundam will forever remain just a dream.SOURCE (TRANSLATED): Pink Tentacle ORIGINAL SOURCE (JAPANESE): SciencePortal SPECIAL THANKS: Danny Choo———-Looks […]
I know it would suck to see an actual Gundam that cant fly or
have cool weapons or no Gundanium armor but just to see
an actual real Gundam walking around would be cool. So i say
to get everyfan thats a fan of Gundam to contribute a little
bit of there money or anyway possible to help raise money for the project kuz i know there R a Lot of u Gundam fans out there and together the money could be raised!
yours truly, Mike
Enormous fighting machines are nice, if they remain confined in fiction. For example watching the new Raptor fighter evolutions is exciting… then I think to price and purpose and go mad. What a bunch of idiots we are!
I have been interested in electronics for along time , and if you wanted to build one it would cost alot more than that.if you where to ignore a few thousand copyrights and so fourth you could make one with massive amounts of weaponry and enough tactical strength to wipe out a city !
For all you nut out there only gundams from the gundam wing series were made of gundanium, all the other were made of titanium.
Hey JALBER83 actualy starting from Zeta Gundam on they used gundarium alloy its spelled “gundanium” in G Wing its still the same thing!!!