Specialised translation › Technical documentation

Technical documentation translation.

Translation of technical documentation for manufacturers and technical editorial teams: operating and user manuals, handbooks, online help and editorial content — handled by professional translators with a technical background, terminologically consistent and standard-compliant. Directly in XML/DITA and your content-management system, all the way to a ready-to-use file.

DIN/ISO compliantstructure & terms
Terminology baseacross projects
CAT & tags preservedlayout kept
4.6 · Trustpilot

Customer service Document types 0800 3333-3433

Professional translators with a technical background · terminology & TM consistent · XML/DITA & content-management systems · AI exclusion on request

DIN EN ISO 17100registered · Reg. 7U517

over 70 languagesnative-speaker professional translators

Price up fronttransparently calculated

ConfidentialGDPR-compliant · NDA available

In short

Documentation is more than text – it is a system.

Reviewed by specialists · FÜD editorial team · kept current

Technical documentation lives on consistency. Across hundreds of pages, variants and releases, every designation, every warning and every instruction must stay identical – otherwise clarity, safety and liability suffer. That is why at the FÜD technical documentation is translated by professional translators with a technical background, backed by terminology databases and translation memories rather than one-off phrasing.

We work inside the format: XML/DITA, editorial and content-management systems, single-source structures and modular content. Placeholders, variables and references stay untouched; the translated documentation comes back structurally identical and ready to use. As part of our technical translation, documentation translation sits alongside data sheets, standards and software interfaces from a single source.

Document types

The documentation we translate.

Manuals

Operating & user manuals
Assembly & maintenance handbooks
Safety notices

Handbooks & help

User & service handbooks
Online help
Training material

Editorial & structure

XML/DITA & topics
Content-management systems (CCMS)
Single-source content

Supplier documentation

Specifications
Test & measurement reports
Conformity documents

What a professional translator sees

Errors only a technical professional translator spots.

In a manual, details decide safety and liability. A purely linguistic service – or a machine – often misses these pitfalls. A professional translator with a technical background does not.

Pitfall	Why it is critical	How the FÜD solves it
Signal words DANGER / WARNING / CAUTION / NOTICE	They map to standardised hazard levels – the same source warning has partly different, even contradictory, target equivalents in DIN ISO 3864-2 and ANSI Z535. Translated freely, the risk statement shifts.	We render signal words from a fixed word list according to the standard valid for the target market (EU: DIN ISO 3864-2, USA: ANSI Z535) – not by feel.
Units of measurement & decimal separators	"1,000" means one thousand in English but exactly one in German, where the comma is the decimal mark. An unlocalised separator on torque, pressure or dosage is not a typo but a safety error.	We localise decimal and thousands separators, convert units only on explicit instruction and flag every conversion.
Modality: "must", "shall", "must not"	In safety-relevant instructions the level of obligation decides between duty and recommendation. "should" is not "must", and "must not" is not "should not".	Professional translators render modality precisely and, on request, work with controlled language or Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100).
Naming consistency across variants and releases	If the same part is sometimes a "cover" and sometimes a "panel", the fitter cannot find it again in the spare-parts list – clarity and safety suffer.	Terminology database and translation memory enforce one designation across all modules, product lines and versions.
Tag, variable and segment protection in DITA/XML	A moved or deleted inline tag breaks formatting, cross-references (conref) or variable resolution – in the worst case half a warning is missing after the build.	Translation in the CAT tool with tag protection; placeholders, conref and variables stay untouched, and the final check verifies tag completeness.
Screenshots, callouts & image captions	Translated running text but English screenshots and callout numbers that no longer match the legend – the most common handover error in manuals.	We localise image text and callouts, capture target-language screenshots of the interface and keep numbering and legend in sync (DTP).
UI strings vs. the manual	If the online help says "Settings" but the software interface says "Options", the manual is worthless to the user.	We translate UI resources and documentation against the same TM and glossary, so menu labels match one to one.
Standardised technical terms from IEC/DIN	Electrical, mechanical and materials terms are defined in IEC and DIN standards. A "creative" translation then contradicts the data sheet and the test report.	We use standardised designations and reconcile them with your data sheets, standards and existing glossaries.

Exactly this depth of checking separates professional translation from pure machine translation with post-editing – and decides whether a manual is standard-compliant or merely looks translated.

Human or machine

Professional translation or machine translation with post-editing?

Not every page of a manual carries the same risk. We use machine translation with full post-editing (MTPE, to ISO 18587) where it holds up – and human professional translation (to ISO 17100) wherever liability, safety and terminology demand it.

What matters	Professional translation · human (ISO 17100)	MT + post-editing (ISO 18587)
Safety- & liability-relevant content	Recommended – full responsibility with the professional translator	Only with full post-editing; critical passages by a human
Terminology & consistency	Controlled via translation memory and glossary	Dependent on training data – corrected editorially
Large, recurring volumes	Scales via translation memory	Fast and economical for pre-translation
Structured formats (XML, DITA, tags)	Tags and structure stay untouched	Tag handling must be controlled
Sign-off & revision	Second-pair-of-eyes principle by a second professional translator	Full post-editing by qualified post-editors

In case of doubt the document decides, not the tool – for instance a safety-critical instruction manual or the documentation for medical devices.

One term used inconsistently – and the manual confuses instead of guiding.

That is why: controlled terminology, TM across every module and a final check.

Standards & law

Why the manual legally belongs to the product.

The new EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 replaces the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC from 20 January 2027. It requires the operating manual in an official language of every country of destination; the German implementing act prescribes German for the German market. The standard DIN EN IEC/IEEE 82079-1 sets out how this information for use is to be prepared and structured. A translated manual is therefore part of conformity, not a mere add-on.

What is new: operating manuals may in future be provided digitally – for B2B machinery with a paper version on request, and safety-relevant information possibly still on paper. The digital manual must remain accessible for at least ten years and be available in the language of each destination country. Digital therefore does not mean less translation, but more language versions and revision states that need clean maintenance.

We translate standard-relevant content consistently under terminology control – from the operating and instruction manual through maintenance handbooks for industry to the accompanying technical translation of data sheets and software interfaces.

In brief

Language obligation: an official language of every country of destination – German mandatory for Germany.

Preparation: to DIN EN IEC/IEEE 82079-1 (information for use).

Safety: signal words and warnings standard-compliant to DIN ISO 3864-2 or ANSI Z535.

Format & process

Translated inside the system, with no rework.

We integrate into your editorial process: via export/import (XML, XLIFF), through your CCMS interfaces or directly in the environment. Modular topics are checked segment by segment against the translation memory, so unchanged passages stay consistent automatically and only new content is translated – lowering cost and turnaround with every release.

On request we work with controlled language and Simplified Technical English and deliver print- or publication-ready – including DTP for PDF output. That keeps your documentation a consistent system across languages, product lines and versions.

How we work

How our technical professional translators work.

No random assignment, no blind flight through the format. Four principles hold your documentation together across languages and releases.

Specialist, not generalist

Native speakers in the target language with a technical background – assigned by field, document type and language direction.

Terminology & translation memory

Company glossary and TM control every designation – consistent across modules, product lines and versions and cheaper with every release.

Format & DTP

XML/DITA, XLIFF and editorial systems in the original format; on request print- and publication-ready including screenshots and image captions.

Second-pair-of-eyes principle

Revision by a second professional translator and a final check to DIN EN ISO 17100 – including tag and completeness verification.

From practice

Three typical projects – and how they run.

Illustrative workflows from technical documentation. They show where terminology, standard and format decide the outcome.

Mechanical engineering

Operating manual for EU export

Series machine, six languages, switching to the new Machinery Regulation.

Starting point: Under the Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 the manufacturer must supply the operating manual in an official language of every country of destination – each version fit for conformity.
Approach: Terminology built from data sheets, warnings and safety notices translated to DIN ISO 3864-2 with standardised signal words, XML via XLIFF out of the editorial system, second-pair-of-eyes revision.
Result: Six structurally identical, terminologically consistent language versions that can be supplied as part of the conformity documents.

Software & hardware

Manual, interface and online help in step

A device's user manual, UI strings and help – localised together.

Starting point: The software interface, manual and online help must carry identical designations, otherwise the manual points nowhere.
Approach: UI resources and manual translated against a shared glossary and TM, target-language screenshots captured, placeholders and variables protected.
Result: Menu labels in software and manual match one to one – the user finds every menu item exactly as described.

DITA / CCMS

Modular documentation across many releases

Single-source authoring in DITA with hundreds of topics and annual releases.

Starting point: The technical editorial team maintains recurring building blocks modularly; each release changes only parts of the documentation.
Approach: Export/import in XML/DITA, the TM recognises unchanged topics so only new and changed content is translated; conref and inline tags stay protected.
Result: Turnaround and cost fall with every release, while terminology and structure stay stable.

Quote & price

Individually calculated, bindingly promised.

The price depends on volume, format, terminology needs and TM reuse. After a review we name a binding fixed price – with fixed conditions for ongoing documentation.

Binding fixed price

from € 0.89per standard line · professional translation

all inclusive

Professional translation	✓included
Terminology & TM maintenance	✓included
Format / DTP handling	✓included
Final check	✓included

As a guide, translations start from € 0.89 per standard line; we name the exact amount after a brief review. A standard line is 55 characters incl. spaces. How the price is made up →

Request a quote

FAQ

Translating technical documentation – frequently asked questions.

Who translates technical documentation?

Professional translators with a technical background and experience in your industry, supported by terminology databases and translation memories. That keeps designations and warnings consistent across every module.

Do you work directly in our content-management system?

Yes. We translate via export/import (XML/DITA, XLIFF), through your CCMS interfaces or directly in the environment – placeholders, variables and references stay untouched.

How do you keep terminology consistent?

Through terminology databases and translation memories: once a designation is fixed it is used consistently across documents, product lines and releases; on request we build up your company terminology systematically.

Do operating manuals have to be translated into the language of every destination country?

Yes. The EU Machinery Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 – binding from 20 January 2027 – requires the operating manual in an official language of each country of destination; for the German market the implementing act prescribes German. We deliver structurally identical language versions for every target market.

Will the digital operating manual from 2027 change our translation needs?

No, rather the opposite. Digital provision is set to be permitted for B2B machinery – paper on request, safety information possibly still on paper – but the manual must still be available in the language of each destination country and remain accessible for ten years. More language versions and revision states increase the need for clean terminology and version management.

Do you translate warnings and safety notices to standard?

Yes. Signal words (DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE) and safety notices are translated from a fixed word list according to the standard valid for the target market – DIN ISO 3864-2 in the EU, ANSI Z535 for the USA – not freely phrased. That preserves the hazard level.

Do translation memories save us money?

Yes. Unchanged and recurring passages are matched against the TM and do not have to be translated again – that noticeably lowers cost and turnaround with every version. On request we work with controlled language or Simplified Technical English (ASD-STE100).

Do you deliver print- or publication-ready?

Yes. On request including DTP – the translated documentation comes back structurally identical and ready to use, with no reformatting on your side.

What does translating technical documentation cost?

Professional translation starts from € 0.89 per standard line (55 characters). The exact price depends on volume, format, terminology needs and TM reuse. After a review we name a binding fixed price, with fixed conditions for ongoing documentation. How the price is made up →