Modular Electronics Is No Longer Just for Engineers

Modular design is increasingly being adopted across electronics industries—not for novelty, but as a way to reduce development time, simplify maintenance, and extend product lifespan. As hardware teams face stricter repairability regulations, greater customization demands, and persistent sourcing challenges, modular electronics are offering a practical and adaptable alternative to traditional integrated designs.

This article outlines what modular design entails, why it’s gaining relevance in 2025, and how it can be implemented effectively.

What Is Modular Electronics Design?

In modular electronics, a product is composed of separate, interchangeable units—called modules—each responsible for a specific function. Examples include a communications module, power supply block, or sensor array. These modules connect through standardized interfaces, enabling developers to upgrade or replace parts without redesigning the entire system.

This design approach contrasts with monolithic systems, where all components are integrated into a single PCB. While integrated systems may be more compact or cost-efficient for high-volume products, they are more difficult to adapt or repair.

Why Modular Design Is Becoming More Relevant

Several factors are pushing hardware developers to consider modular architectures:

• Regulatory compliance: Right-to-repair policies in regions such as the EU and some U.S. states are encouraging manufacturers to design products that are easier to disassemble and service. This shift is also reshaping how sustainable electronics are designed.
• Sustainability goals: Products that can be upgraded or repaired rather than discarded are better aligned with environmental regulations and consumer expectations. In 2022 alone, the world generated over 62 million metric tons of e-waste—a number that continues to rise.
• Supply chain risk: Component shortages and EOL issues can be mitigated with modular designs, as changes are often localized to a single unit rather than requiring a full board redesign.
• Product variation: A modular base platform allows teams to produce multiple SKUs by adjusting specific modules, reducing time-to-market and simplifying development.

Benefits of Modular Electronics Design

1. Repairability

Individual modules can be serviced or replaced without affecting the rest of the system. This aligns well with electronics reworkability principles.

2. Upgradeability

Features such as wireless communication, sensors, or displays can be upgraded independently, allowing the product to evolve without a full redesign.

3. Design reuse

Validated modules can be applied across different products or future revisions, saving engineering time and reducing risk.

4. Improved product longevity

Modularity supports longer product life cycles by making it easier to adapt to changing requirements, technology shifts, or regional certifications.

5. Inventory and supply flexibility

Maintaining stocks of compatible modules across products can simplify procurement and reduce lead times.

Considerations and Challenges

While modularity offers flexibility, it also introduces new engineering constraints:

• Mechanical design complexity: Each module must be physically secured, thermally managed, and electrically connected in a reliable way. This increases enclosure and layout challenges.
• Connector reliability: More connectors introduce potential failure points, especially in high-vibration or harsh environments.
• Size and cost impact: Modular designs may be larger or more expensive than integrated ones due to additional interfaces and materials.
• Compatibility management: Ensuring hardware and firmware compatibility across modules requires strict version control and documentation.

Because of these factors, modular design should be evaluated case-by-case. It is most effective in applications where flexibility, long-term serviceability, or multiple product variants are essential.

Common Use Cases for Modular Design

Industries that benefit most from modular design typically involve:

• Industrial control systems, where I/O, power, and communication requirements vary by installation
• Medical devices, especially those used in hospitals or labs, where maintenance and upgrades are frequent
• Prototyping platforms, allowing rapid iterations without reworking the entire system
• Sustainable consumer electronics, including smartphones and laptops designed for field repair and extended use

Examples like the Fairphone demonstrate how modularity can support both sustainability and user repair. Framework laptops offer another strong example of modularity applied to mainstream consumer tech, with fully replaceable parts and user-friendly design.

Conclusion

Modular electronics design offers clear advantages in today’s manufacturing environment, especially where adaptability, repairability, and sustainability are priorities. It is not suited for every product, particularly in ultra-low-cost or highly space-constrained designs. However, for many categories of industrial and professional equipment, modularity can reduce development risk and support longer, more resilient product life cycles.

As regulatory, supply chain, and market pressures continue to evolve, modular design is becoming less of a niche strategy and more of a necessary one.