diff --git a/.github/workflows/build.yml b/.github/workflows/build.yml
index a61ac27a..7910ec9b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build.yml
@@ -65,8 +65,11 @@ jobs:
           # scikit-build-core honors CMAKE_ARGS; the compiler-launcher property
           # only works with the Ninja generator (ignored by Visual Studio), so
           # the MSVC dev env + ninja (installed below) are required for sccache.
+          $sc = $env:SCCACHE_PATH -replace '\\','/'
           "SCCACHE_GHA_ENABLED=true" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
-          "CMAKE_ARGS=-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          "SCCACHE_IDLE_TIMEOUT=0" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          "CMAKE_ARGS=-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$sc -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$sc" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          "CMAKE_GENERATOR=Ninja" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
 
       - name: Editable install
         run: |
diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index d8bbe286..151dd35c 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -62,8 +62,17 @@ jobs:
         if: runner.os == 'Windows'
         run: |
           pip install ninja
+          # Absolute launcher path (forward slashes for CMake): the sccache
+          # action exports SCCACHE_PATH but does NOT put sccache on PATH, and
+          # msvc-dev-cmd rewrites PATH anyway. Idle timeout 0 keeps the server
+          # (and its stats) alive across the whole job.
+          $sc = $env:SCCACHE_PATH -replace '\\','/'
           "SCCACHE_GHA_ENABLED=true" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
-          "CMAKE_ARGS=-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          "SCCACHE_IDLE_TIMEOUT=0" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          "CMAKE_ARGS=-DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$sc -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=$sc" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
+          # scikit-build-core only picks Ninja over Visual Studio when ninja is
+          # importable/visible to the python actually running the build
+          "CMAKE_GENERATOR=Ninja" | Out-File $env:GITHUB_ENV -Append
 
       - name: Prepare conda environment (Unix)
         if: runner.os != 'Windows'
@@ -88,11 +97,12 @@ jobs:
         run: |
           cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja `
               -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release `
-              -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache `
-              -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=sccache `
+              -DCMAKE_C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER="$env:SCCACHE_PATH" `
+              -DCMAKE_CXX_COMPILER_LAUNCHER="$env:SCCACHE_PATH" `
               -DCMAKE_INSTALL_PREFIX="$env:CONDA_PREFIX/Library" `
               -Wno-dev
           cmake --build build
+          & $env:SCCACHE_PATH --show-stats
 
       - name: Tests (Unix)
         if: runner.os != 'Windows'
@@ -119,8 +129,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Install simcoon Python bindings (Windows)
         if: runner.os == 'Windows'
         run: |
-          pip install scikit-build-core pybind11 numpy
+          pip install scikit-build-core pybind11 numpy ninja
           pip install . --no-build-isolation
+          & $env:SCCACHE_PATH --show-stats
 
       - name: Smoke test simcoon Python (Windows)
         if: runner.os == 'Windows'
diff --git a/docs/simulation/index.rst b/docs/simulation/index.rst
index 78ed0c20..16b8474f 100755
--- a/docs/simulation/index.rst
+++ b/docs/simulation/index.rst
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ Simulation
    solver.rst
    python_solver.rst
    umat_catalog.rst
+   modular_python.rst
    umat_tutorial.rst
    identification.rst
    output.rst
diff --git a/docs/simulation/modular_python.rst b/docs/simulation/modular_python.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f64a7088
--- /dev/null
+++ b/docs/simulation/modular_python.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,219 @@
+==========================================
+Building materials in Python (``modular``)
+==========================================
+
+.. module:: simcoon.modular
+
+The :mod:`simcoon.modular` package is the Python builder for the composable
+``MODUL`` engine: a constitutive model is assembled from an **elasticity**
+definition plus any combination of **mechanisms** (plasticity,
+viscoelasticity, damage), and serialized into the self-describing props
+stream that the C++ engine consumes. The same object drives the in-memory
+solver, the file solver, or any FEA coupling — see the
+:doc:`UMAT catalog <umat_catalog>` for how ``MODUL`` fits among the other
+material names. Units are MPa; Voigt order is [11, 22, 33, 12, 13, 23].
+
+Quick start
+-----------
+
+.. code-block:: python
+
+    from simcoon.modular import (
+        ModularMaterial, IsotropicElasticity,
+        Plasticity, VonMisesYield, VoceHardening, ArmstrongFrederickHardening,
+    )
+    from simcoon import solver
+
+    mat = ModularMaterial(
+        elasticity=IsotropicElasticity(C1=210000.0, C2=0.3, alpha=1.2e-5,
+                                       convention="Enu"),
+        mechanisms=[
+            Plasticity(
+                sigma_Y=300.0,
+                yield_criterion=VonMisesYield(),
+                isotropic_hardening=VoceHardening(Q=200.0, b=10.0),
+                kinematic_hardening=ArmstrongFrederickHardening(C=20000.0, D=100.0),
+            ),
+        ],
+    )
+    print(mat.summary())
+
+    step = solver.StepMeca(control=['strain'] + ['stress'] * 5,
+                           value=[0.02, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0], ninc=100)
+    res = solver.solve(step, "MODUL", mat.props, mat.nstatev)
+
+``mat.props`` and ``mat.nstatev`` are all any caller needs — they work
+identically with ``material.dat`` files, :func:`simcoon.umat` point
+evaluation, micromechanics phase files (``Nellipsoids``/``Nlayers``) and FEA
+couplings such as fedoo.
+
+Elasticity
+----------
+
+Exactly one elasticity definition per material. The elastic constants are
+**ordinal slots** ``C1..Cn`` whose meaning is fixed by the ``convention``
+argument (enum, int, or string aliases):
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 26 34 40
+
+   * - Class
+     - Parameters
+     - Conventions (string aliases)
+   * - :class:`IsotropicElasticity`
+     - ``C1, C2, alpha``
+     - ``"Enu"`` (C1=E, C2=nu, default), ``"nuE"``, ``"Kmu"``/``"KG"``,
+       ``"muK"``, ``"lambdamu"``, ``"mulambda"``
+   * - :class:`CubicElasticity`
+     - ``C1, C2, C3, alpha``
+     - ``"EnuG"`` (default), ``"Cii"`` (C11, C12, C44)
+   * - :class:`TransverseIsotropicElasticity`
+     - ``EL, ET, nuTL, nuTT, GLT, alpha_L, alpha_T, axis``
+     - ``"EnuG"`` only (axis = isotropy axis, default 3)
+   * - :class:`OrthotropicElasticity`
+     - ``C1..C9, alpha1..alpha3``
+     - ``"EnuG"`` (E1,E2,E3,nu12,nu13,nu23,G12,G13,G23; default), ``"Cii"``
+
+``alpha`` are the thermal-expansion coefficients (per direction where
+applicable).
+
+Yield criteria
+--------------
+
+Used inside :class:`Plasticity`; the criterion defines the equivalent stress
+:math:`\sigma_{eq}` of the yield function
+:math:`f = \sigma_{eq}(\boldsymbol{\sigma} - \mathbf{X}) - (\sigma_Y + R(p))`:
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 28 30 42
+
+   * - Class
+     - Parameters
+     - Criterion
+   * - :class:`VonMisesYield`
+     - —
+     - :math:`\sqrt{\tfrac{3}{2}\,\mathbf{s}:\mathbf{s}}`
+   * - :class:`TrescaYield`
+     - —
+     - Maximum shear stress
+   * - :class:`DruckerYield`
+     - ``b, n``
+     - Drucker :math:`J_2`–:math:`J_3` criterion
+   * - :class:`HillYield`
+     - ``F, G, H, L, M, N``
+     - Hill 1948 quadratic anisotropy
+   * - :class:`DFAYield`
+     - ``F, G, H, L, M, N, K``
+     - Deshpande–Fleck–Ashby (pressure-sensitive)
+   * - :class:`AnisotropicYield`
+     - ``P11, P22, P33, P12, P13, P23, P44, P55, P66``
+     - Full quadratic form. **P must be an admissible (convex) form**:
+       symmetric with zero row sums on the normal block — an indefinite P
+       produces ``sqrt(<0) = NaN``.
+
+Isotropic hardening
+-------------------
+
+The isotropic hardening law :math:`R(p)` of the accumulated plastic strain
+:math:`p`:
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 30 24 46
+
+   * - Class
+     - Parameters
+     - Law
+   * - :class:`NoIsotropicHardening`
+     - —
+     - :math:`R = 0` (perfect plasticity, default)
+   * - :class:`LinearIsotropicHardening`
+     - ``H``
+     - :math:`R = H\,p`
+   * - :class:`PowerLawHardening`
+     - ``k, m``
+     - :math:`R = k\,p^m` — for :math:`m < 1` the singular onset slope is
+       C\ :sup:`1`-regularized below :math:`p = 10^{-6}` (exact above)
+   * - :class:`VoceHardening`
+     - ``Q, b``
+     - :math:`R = Q\,(1 - e^{-b\,p})`
+   * - :class:`CombinedVoceHardening`
+     - ``terms = ((Q_1, b_1), ...)``
+     - :math:`R = \sum_i Q_i\,(1 - e^{-b_i p})` (standard independent sum —
+       note this differs from the removed legacy EPCHG coupling, see the
+       :doc:`catalog <umat_catalog>`)
+
+Kinematic hardening
+-------------------
+
+The back stress :math:`\mathbf{X}` shifting the yield surface. The stored
+internal variable is the **back-strain** :math:`\boldsymbol{\alpha}`
+(thermodynamic variable); :math:`\mathbf{X} = \tfrac{2}{3} C \boldsymbol{\alpha}`:
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 32 26 42
+
+   * - Class
+     - Parameters
+     - Law
+   * - :class:`NoKinematicHardening`
+     - —
+     - :math:`\mathbf{X} = 0` (default)
+   * - :class:`PragerHardening`
+     - ``C``
+     - Linear: :math:`\dot{\boldsymbol{\alpha}} = \dot{p}\,\mathbf{n}`
+   * - :class:`ArmstrongFrederickHardening`
+     - ``C, D``
+     - :math:`\dot{\mathbf{X}} = \tfrac{2}{3}C\,\dot{\boldsymbol{\varepsilon}}^p - D\,\mathbf{X}\dot{p}`
+   * - :class:`ChabocheHardening`
+     - ``terms = ((C_1, D_1), ...)``
+     - :math:`\mathbf{X} = \sum_i \mathbf{X}_i`, each branch
+       Armstrong–Frederick
+
+Mechanisms
+----------
+
+.. list-table::
+   :header-rows: 1
+   :widths: 26 40 34
+
+   * - Class
+     - Parameters
+     - Physics
+   * - :class:`Plasticity`
+     - ``sigma_Y, yield_criterion, isotropic_hardening, kinematic_hardening``
+     - Rate-independent plasticity (Fischer–Burmeister return mapping)
+   * - :class:`Viscoelasticity`
+     - ``terms = ((E_i, nu_i, etaB_i, etaS_i), ...)``
+     - Generalized Maxwell (Prony) branches: per branch a spring
+       (:math:`E_i, \nu_i`) in series with bulk/shear dashpots
+       (:math:`\eta_B, \eta_S`) — same rheology and layout as the kept
+       ``PRONK`` kernel
+   * - :class:`Damage`
+     - ``Y_0, Y_c, damage_type, A, n``
+     - Scalar stiffness-degradation damage; ``damage_type`` selects the
+       evolution law: ``LINEAR``, ``EXPONENTIAL``, ``POWER_LAW`` (uses
+       ``A, n``) or ``WEIBULL``
+
+Multiple mechanisms compose additively on the inelastic strain; the
+registration order defines the statev layout (see the
+:doc:`catalog <umat_catalog>` statev section).
+
+Tangent operator and finite strain
+----------------------------------
+
+``MODUL`` honors the solver's ``tangent_mode`` (continuum or algorithmic,
+algorithmic being the 2.0 default — :doc:`solver`). Under the finite-strain
+control types the composition acts as a Hencky hyperelastic law on the
+logarithmic strain and requires ``corate_type = 3`` (log_R).
+
+See also
+--------
+
+- :doc:`umat_catalog` — where ``MODUL`` and the adapter-served legacy names
+  meet, props streams and statev layouts
+- :doc:`umat_tutorial` — writing a dedicated UMAT by hand instead
+- ``examples/mechanical/MODUL.py`` — runnable gallery example