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# HW Lab's DockFrame Heads to Crowd Supply With Swappable Tool Cards
- URL: https://itsfoss.com/news/dockframe/
- Published: 2026-07-05T04:21:19.000Z
- Updated: 2026-07-05T04:21:19.000Z
- Description: The modular USB-C hub uses Framework's expansion standard, and its Tool Cards double as bench tools.
- Author: Sourav Rudra
- Tags: News, Gadgets 🎛️

Crowdfunding is one of the best ways to turn an idea into an actual product. A creator pitches something, sets a funding goal, and backers decide whether it is worth building.

While most campaigns stay small, a few do break out completely. The [original Pebble smartwatch](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pebble%5F%28watch%29?ref=itsfoss.com#:~:text=Original%20production%20%282013%E2%80%932016%29) asked for $100,000 in 2012, walked away with over $10 million, going on to ship more than two million watches. It [has since returned](https://itsfoss.com/news/pebble-returns-as-open-source/) as an open source-focused outfit.

[HW Media Lab](https://hwlab.io/?ref=itsfoss.com) already knows that path. Its first product, [WebScreen](https://itsfoss.com/news/webscreen/), a hackable secondary display for gamers and creators, asked Crowd Supply for $5,250 and came back with $10,718, **more than double its goal**.

Now they are back again with a new creation that focuses on modular, repairable USB-C docking.

## Just a generic USB-C hub?

![laying on a white table is a framework laptop, over which two expansion cards and a purple-colored dockframe usb-c hub are placed](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2026/07/dockframe-front-view.jpg)

Not quite; the [DockFrame](https://dockframe.com/?ref=itsfoss.com) is a modular USB-C hub built around [Framework](https://frame.work/?ref=itsfoss.com)'s open source [Expansion Card](https://github.com/frameworkcomputer/ExpansionCards?ref=itsfoss.com) slot standard. Instead of a fixed set of ports, it gives you four open slots that accept the same cards Framework sells for its laptops and desktops.

The hub itself operates on **USB 3.2**, with USB-C DisplayPort and Power Delivery passthrough up to 100 W on the downstream ports. The case is injection-molded and translucent, supports Framework's [Desktop Tiles](https://frame.work/products/desktop-tile-pack?ref=itsfoss.com), and has **a LEGO-compatible stud grid on the bottom** so multiple units can be stacked once four slots stop being enough.

Slot in any of the Framework [Expansion Cards](https://frame.work/marketplace/expansion-cards?ref=itsfoss.com), and DockFrame will treat them like they belong there. This means any spare USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, or storage cards left over from a laptop upgrade do not have to sit in a drawer; they can go straight into the hub instead.

**HW Media Lab builds its own Tool Cards too**:

- The ***Multimeter Card*** can read DC/AC voltage, current, and continuity.
- The ***Mini Hub Card*** adds four USB 3.0 ports, each capable of 5 Gbps transfer speeds.
- The ***Power Supply Card*** is a programmable buck-boost supply with USB PD input up to 100 W.
- The ***BreadBoard Card*** carries a Seeed Studio XIAO board and standard 0.1 inch headers for prototyping work.

![an early view of the dockframe pcb inside an orange case with lego studs on both sides](https://itsfoss.com/content/images/2026/07/dockframe-card-slots.png)

If none of the four fit what you need, **you can design your own card** using the same open slot standard or build a custom host app that talks to the onboard MCUs over *USB serial*, *Wi-Fi*, *Bluetooth*, or *ESP-NOW*.

**Repairability is also a focus here**, as the DockFrame is held together with screws instead of glue. Makers, embedded engineers, educators, and anyone tired of keeping a dock, a multimeter, and a bench supply as three separate boxes are the target audience here.

## While you wait…

The DockFrame **is yet to receive an official release date or a price tag**. While you wait, you can keep an eye out on the [Crowd Supply](https://www.crowdsupply.com/hw-media-lab/dockframe?ref=itsfoss.com) page for it, and if you want to share feedback, the [official product page](https://hwlab.io/dockframe?ref=itsfoss.com) has a form you can fill out.

[DockFrame (Crowd Supply)](https://www.crowdsupply.com/hw-media-lab/dockframe?ref=itsfoss.com)

All the hardware-related files, like schematics, layouts, firmware, and the FreeCAD case files, should be available on [GitHub](https://github.com/HW-Lab-Hardware-Design-Agency?ref=itsfoss.com) once the crowdfunding campaign ends. You can track development by joining HW Lab's [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/vKT5b3skjF?ref=itsfoss.com) server.