# The Role of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies in Production Process Performance: A Causal Model
###### Abstract  
Advanced manufacturing technologies (AMT) require considerable investments that managers often avoid, which makes it difficult to link their production operations with the benefits reported in literature review. The present paper shows a structural equation model that integrates four latent variables to measure the relationship between the levels of advanced manufacturing technologies implementation (Stand-Alone Intermediate and Integrated Systems), as well as the benefits obtained in the productive systems. The variables are related to each other using six hypotheses in order to realise how the AMT implementation level affects the benefits obtained from a quantitative and statistical point of view. The model is evaluated through the partial least square technique with data from 383 responses to a survey. Findings show that Stand-Alone Systems contribute more to obtaining Production Benefits, followed by Integrated Systems and Intermediate Systems. Finally, a sensitivity analysis based on conditional probabilities was performed to evaluate scenarios at different implementation levels in AMT to know how they facilitate the acquisition of the benefits offered. a _Article_  
The Role of Advanced Manufacturing Technologies in Production Process Performance: A Causal Model  
retrieval systems, numerically controlled computer machine tools, and bar codes or other automated identification techniques, integrated manufacturing by computer, just-in-time system, among others. [PERSON] and [PERSON] [5] classify AMT into three categories depending on the interaction level they have with other technologies, for instance, there may be _Stand-Alone Systems_, _Intermediate Systems_, and _Integrated Systems_, where, logically, each of these categories offer different benefits and implementation difficulties. Table 1 illustrates the classification for AMT proposed by [PERSON] and [PERSON] [5] and supported by others researchers, as well as some operational benefits that can be gained after a successful implementation. According to [PERSON] and [PERSON] [11], _Stand-Alone Systems_ are robots and numerically controlled (NC) machine tools, although they can also be integrated into other systems and equipment. When the AMTs are linked to linked systems as automatic storage/recovery systems (AS/RS) and automated guided vehicle systems (AGVS) for move or facilitate material flow, they are called _Intermediate Systems_. However, if the Stand-Alone Systems come together or are integrated in manufacturing cells, such as in group technology lines (GT) or flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), then they are called _Integrated Systems_ and can be linked with manufacturing resource planning (MRP II). When design, planning, material handling, manufacturing and support systems (for example, order entry, cost accounting, purchasing) are linked to each other through computer control, the factory is considered fully integrated, often known as CIM [12]. However, that taxonomy was proposed long time ago, and over time, new technologies have been applied to production systems which added in some