“It’s not difficult to translate instructions for use! And above all, you only need them in English. Everyone can speak English now! And besides, most operating instructions consist almost entirely of pictures anyway – what else is there to translate? I mean, my secretary can do that bit, she lived in England for three years.” Rolf looks triumphantly at the faces of his colleagues. Once again, he has saved money for the company. If only they didn’t have him! The others could take a leaf out of his book…
Do you also have such a “Rolf” in your company? If you need a few arguments to prove that a technical translation from a professional translation agency is not so wrong after all and not a waste of money, but on the contrary offers long-term savings, you will find them in the following article.
Translate operating instructions
Why have operating instructions translated at all? Well, for one thing, there are standards and regulatory requirements that require instructions in the language of the target country, e.g. the Machinery Directive or the Product Liability Act. Secondly, machine operators or product users worldwide must be able to use the machine or product. So if a company expands into foreign-language countries, it must provide customers with the necessary tools. Legal protection and customer loyalty also play a role. There is therefore no question that a company should provide correct and user-friendly operating information.
Translations are not always popular – and yet indispensable
When it comes to an umbrella, a lack of instruction does no harm. Everyone knows that you have to open an umbrella and hold it over you. But what about a professional cutting machine in a large bakery, for example? Wouldn’t it be negligent, even dangerous, to simply place the apprentice at the machine without being able to look something up in his familiar language? Even diagrams and drawings are not always self-explanatory: who hasn’t complained about IKEA assembly instructions because it wasn’t clear that the board had to be turned 180 degrees before 15 small screws were screwed in?
Anyone working according to IEC 82079-1 for the creation of instructions for use always needs an ISO 17100-compliant translation by a suitably qualified translator and revision according to the dual control principle. This process guarantees a text with accurate content and style that the customer can rely on.
Overestimating and underestimating the ability to translate
There are at least three purposeful translations for “switch” in English – does Rolf’s secretary really know which one is appropriate in which context? In the writing process, a technical writer usually has a exact terminology and uses the corresponding technical terms in German. He might even be able to provide an English equivalent – but what about Portuguese? Or in Japanese? The machine manufacturer for the bakery cutting machine prefers to play it safe, right?
Leave manuals to the professionals
Companies are better off trusting professional translation agencies. These work together with trained translators who have the relevant specialist background and thus guarantee that the foreign-language instructions for use are comprehensible and accurate in terms of content. The more precise the specifications for the translator, e.g. in the form of a style guide, the better the translator can implement the company’s requirements.
In addition to the operating instructions, there are other technical texts such as product data sheets, installation manuals, service instructions, product specifications, catalogs, repair instructions, assembly instructions, maintenance instructions, circuit diagrams, test reports or declarations of conformity, which can be easily translated into all world languages.
Incidentally, Rolf has now agreed to hire a professional translation company. He recently broke his new drone, ordered cheaply from China, because the operating instructions were incomprehensible.
Still have questions?
If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact our project managers at mail@comlogos.com. For more information, you can download our information sheet on the Machinery Directive here.
