Technical translation to ISO 17100 Technical translation: precise and certified.

What is a technical translation?
Definition, scope and requirements

Technical translation means transferring technical documents, operating manuals, specifications, safety data sheets, software strings, into one or more target languages in the appropriate specialist language. The process demands proven subject-matter expertise from the translator, the use of terminology databases, and compliance with the DIN EN ISO 17100 quality standard.

Technical translation is a subset of specialist translation, but with higher requirements. A general specialist translation, a marketing text for the chemical industry, say, allows creative latitude; technical text demands accuracy as standard. A torque of 45 Nm is 45 Nm, in every language. A safety warning has to be worded to meet the standard, not to read nicely. And a decimal point must never turn into a comma if the target country uses points as thousands separators.

What further sets technical translation apart from other specialist translation: the mandatory use of Translation Memory and terminology management. Without these systems, you can't maintain consistent terminology across manuals running to thousands of pages and dozens of language versions.

Document types
The technical documents we translate

Technical documentation ranges from a single-page safety data sheet to a 2,000-page service manual. What they have in common: every document carries regulatory or liability implications if it's translated incorrectly.

If you have specialised requirements for a particular industry, our industry pages go into more depth on the relevant regulations and terminology.

Industry specialisations
Technical translation for your industry

Technical translation cuts across every industry, but the terminology, standards and risks differ fundamentally. An automotive translator needs to know UNECE R155; a medical device translator needs the MDR. That's why we have dedicated specialist teams and industry pages for the sectors that matter most:

The translation process
From source document to approved translation

Technical translation at tolingo follows a standardised process to ISO 17100. Every step is documented and auditable. For repeat clients, the first steps get much faster, since terminology and Translation Memory are already in place.

1. Analysis and terminology extraction

   Your project manager checks the source document: format, volume, subject area, existing glossaries. On first-time projects, we extract the core terminology and align it with your team before translation begins.

2. Translation Memory and pre-translation

   The Translation Memory matches new segments against text already translated. Identical passages are inserted automatically; similar ones (fuzzy matches) are shown to the translator as suggestions. On manual updates, that saves up to 70% of the cost.

3. Specialist translation by industry experts

   The assigned translator is a native speaker of the target language with a technical background in the relevant field. For repeat clients, the same dedicated team works on every project; for new clients, the project manager selects based on qualifications and reference projects.

4. Four-eyes review

   A second, independent subject-matter expert checks the translation for terminological accuracy, language quality and compliance with the standard. On MTPE projects, a qualified reviewer carries out this check to ISO 18587.

5. Layout check and delivery

   If your document has a fixed layout (InDesign, FrameMaker, PDF), we check that the translated text still fits. If needed, our DTP team handles the adjustment. Delivered in your original format.

Costs & delivery times
Transparent pricing for technical specialist translation

Technical translations are billed by word count. The price depends on three factors: the language pair, the quality level (MTPE or human translation) and the subject area. The single biggest cost lever for technical documentation is Translation Memory: manuals that only partially change from version to version become radically cheaper.

A worked example: an owner's manual with 80,000 words is translated into English and Chinese for the first time (two specialist translations). At the next model update, 25% of the text changes. The TM recognises the unchanged 75%, so you pay only a fraction for those segments. For technical documentation with a high repetition rate, that's the single strongest cost lever.

Note: our translations do not replace technical sign-off or conformity assessment. Responsibility for the technical approval and regulatory compliance of your documents rests with your internal engineering and compliance teams.

Standards & compliance
Machinery Regulation, ISO and CE

The EU Machinery Regulation 2023/1230 (in force from January 2027, with transition periods) significantly tightens the requirements for technical documentation: a 10-year retention obligation, strict language requirements for operating manuals in the official language of the target market, and new requirements for digital operating manuals. For companies exporting machinery into the EU or selling within it, that means: translating the technical documentation isn't a nice-to-have, it's a regulatory requirement.

tolingo makes sure the translation process itself meets these requirements. The four-eyes principle to ISO 17100 documents who translated and who reviewed. ISO 27001 certification protects the confidentiality of sensitive design data. And terminology management ensures the same technical term is translated identically in every document and every language.

Frequently asked questions
Technical translation at tolingo