Technical translations

Bantelmann Translate offers technical translations for all industries, using native speakers specialising in the precise field of application, and software localisation practices.

What is technical translation?

Technical translation consists of the conversion from one language to another of all highly technical and specialised content relating to the operation and specifications of machinery, devices and equipment of all kinds; it includes software translations and localisations.

In the field of technical translations, two factors are absolutely key: on the one hand, of course, the utmost grammatical accuracy is required, as in all translation work, but on top of this the translator must also fully understand the subject they are working on to ensure both the correct interpretation of the original text and the appropriate technical terminology in the target text.

We therefore employ professional technical translators with sector-specific expertise, in addition to language skills.

Who requires technical translations?

Technical translations are probably among the most in-demand in a wide variety of market sectors. The need to translate technical documentation into other languages is indeed common to all areas of production, especially industrial ones.

Technical translations are therefore required by all companies that, in general, manufacture products that are accompanied by technical documentation: this means practically all industries in manufacturing, ranging from those that manufacture electronic devices to those building complex industrial machines. Even companies that sell materials often have to provide documentation that certifies their characteristics, thus requiring this type of translation.

The need for technical translations has also grown in recent years, in step with the expansion of the international market made possible by the development of the Internet. The potential client pool of companies that are no longer limited to a local perspective has rapidly expanded worldwide, requiring the translation of all product-related materials and technical documents into different target languages.

Which kinds of documents require technical translations?

As we have already discussed, technical translations are requested by a huge range of companies from the most diverse sectors. This is but a brief overview of the main types of documentation for which a technical translation is required:

Our method and approach

The key to a good technical translation is the ability to combine absolute terminological accuracy with the readability of the translated document. Technical documentation is used by people who are carrying out a task and who consult it to get specific indications on the device they are using or on the nature of the material they are working with. This information must be clear and immediately accessible to users.

For this reason, a technical translator must combine two different sets of skills and abilities. As with any similar job, technical translation requires a perfect knowledge of the two languages involved – the original and the target language. However, a good technical translator must also have an in-depth knowledge of the sector in question and understand the processes, technical specifications and scope of application of the products for which they are translating documents, thus ensuring that the text are fully usable and accessible in the translated version.

The highly specialised process of translation and software localisation also deserves to be described individually. It is indeed essential that translated content of this type respect established conventions of the sector, maintaining generally known and accepted terms to define the functions of the application itself.

As in many other sectors, in technical translation the professional often handles documents that contain highly sensitive information: naturally, there is full respect of confidentiality, in particular for industrial secrets.

It is also particularly important, especially in projects involving large volumes of documentation, that the vocabulary used in technical translations remain constant from one version to another and from one document to another. To this end, set teams are assigned to each project in order to maintain crucial continuity, and special translation memories are used. Technical translations also represent one of the fields in which automated or computer-assisted translations can be extensively used – but always with a final review through a post-editing process.

Available languages

Bantelmann Translate is able to offer specialist technical translations from and into a wide range of languages: