September 26, 2025: European lead acid major Monbat has developed a 1:10 scale automated production line designed to boost training for the next generation of battery manufacturers.
Monbat said the system, developed with support from academia, also incorporates latest digital technologies.

The system replicates a real manufacturing process at a 1:10 scale, combining actual industrial components such as barcode scanners, visual sensors and HMI/SCADA interfaces.

Using the system allows students to get to grips with principles of integration between enterprise resource planning and manufacturing execution systems, the battery maker said.

Monbat said it developed the system in cooperation with academics at Bulgaria’s University of Ruse.

Through this educational platform, they can explore how automation and digitalization function in practice, including automated tracking of production orders, product serialization and traceability, visual inspection and quality control.

In a safe and controlled environment, students are able to observe, configure, and experiment while acquiring practical skills in programming, process optimization and systems integration.
The open architecture of the model allows for testing new commands, editing existing program blocks, and simulating various production modes – providing flexibility for continuous learning.

“Launched as a business-driven initiative, the project highlights how closer cooperation between industry and education can stimulate innovation, build practical skills, and strengthen the competitiveness of modern manufacturing,” Monbat said.

In May 2024, Monbat CEO Viktor Spiriev unveiled plans to expand facilities including a new assembly line at its plant in Montana, the town where the group was founded 65 years ago.