###### Abstract  
Digitalization is boosting the manufacturing industry's shift to smart manufacturing systems, which will efficiently utilize the potential of new technologies for their business outcomes and value. However, the literature shows that manufacturing companies have implemented very little digital technology due to a lack of the required knowledge and competences. Increasingly, interconnected, digitalized, and complex processes lead to new skill requirements in companies and thereafter also of their workforce's training needs to respond to the smart manufacturing's new great expectations. The article provides concrete examples of tackling challenges in education arising from digital manufacturing. The case study introduced in this article concerns the additive manufacturing (AM) method, which is expected to give rise to significant changes in various industrial fields, including digital manufacturing. Advances in digital manufacturing requires skilled professionals who are aware of the possibilities and potential of the latest technology. Education therefore needs to be developed. This article points out that the built learning and development environment, SmartLab, supports multidisciplinary approaches and close collaboration between several stakeholders like companies, engineering education courses, students, and RDI actors. The SmartLab concept is thus also expected to provide a remarkable competitive advantage for business in the region. digitalization; digital transformation; industrial internet of things; smart manufacturing; additive manufacturing; 3D printing +
Footnote †: journal:  
* [FOOTNOTE:*underlying concern is common: how can the manufacturing industry be supported in embracing digital transformation? The digital transformation is challenging the development and business of the manufacturing industry [2; 4]. Smart manufacturing is defined as a production system integrated by multiple subsystems for data exchange, through an interconnected network including the combination of advanced technologies such as the internet of things (IoT), big data, additive manufacturing (AM), artificial intelligence (AI), cyber physical systems (CPSs), and robotic technologies [10]. However, a literature study shows that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing sector in particular have been alarmingly slow to adopt new digital technologies [11; 12]. Accordingly, a constantly evolving and digitizing manufacturing industry challenges education. New kinds of learning and development environments are required in education and training for implementation [13; 14; 15]. To understand the new potential and the challenges of the manufacturing industry in more detail, an intelligent production technology, a learning and development environment called SmartLab, has been innovated and built at Lapland University of Applied Sciences (UAS). In this article, we will introduce the development path of our SmartLab environment, explain our vision, and illustrate with a case study how we implement work-life and industry needs, combining them with education and research. In addition, we will focus on clarifying through a case study how it is possible to meet the industry needs of digital manufacturing expertise and how educational challenges can be supported with the SmartLab concept. This article aims to increase awareness of the manufacturing industry in the changing operating environment caused by digital transformation and how these changes challenge education in the digital era. The purpose of the research is to provide concrete examples of tackling challenges in education arising from digital manufacturing and how new kinds of learning and training environment can support engineering education. The case study illustrated in this article concerns the additive manufacturing (AM) method, more commonly known as 3D printing. AM is a manufacturing method that is the antithesis of the traditional subtractive processes.