Operation and maintenance manual translation

Keep instructions and the sequence of actions clear

Instructions should make clear who performs an action, under which conditions and in what order. Missing steps, a condition attached to the wrong action or inconsistent component names can make a manual harder to use. The translation takes account of the reader’s technical knowledge. No procedure is added that is absent from the source. Component names in the text are compared with the illustrations. Where a product has different models or equipment options, the link between each instruction and the relevant version is preserved.

Check warnings and safety instructions

A safety warning conveys the source of a hazard, its possible consequence and the action to take. Warning headings, symbols, negative statements and prohibitions must not be omitted. Please provide the manufacturer’s approved warning language or product glossary at the start if available. Translation does not replace a product safety analysis or technical conformity assessment. An unclear safety statement in the source is recorded as a question for the manufacturer’s technical contact; a new precaution is not invented in the translation.

Match screen labels and illustrations to the manual

A button name, software menu or alarm message in the manual should match what the user sees on screen. If the interface remains untranslated, we agree how original labels and explanations will be presented. Text in illustrations, product labels and layered artwork may require separate work. Translating text and placing it into an image are separate tasks. Editable sources, fonts and artwork make preparation of the final layout easier. The layout needs a separate review because text length can change in the target language.

Keep model and version updates traceable

For a new product version, it may be possible to translate only the changed pages. We need files that allow us to compare the old source, approved translation and new source. For manuals covering several models, we distinguish shared content from model-specific sections. State the product field, intended readers, target language and files required. Text translation, the final PDF, print preparation and interface translation are planned separately.

A practical checklist for numbers and units

A value, range or unit in a maintenance step can change how the task is performed. Torque, pressure, temperature, duration and maintenance intervals are compared against the source. Decimal notation, unit symbols and table rows are considered together. A source unit is not converted into another measurement system without prior agreement. If conversion is requested, the method and technical approval are agreed separately. Translation review does not replace the manufacturer’s safety validation or the product’s technical tests.

• Compare values, minus signs, decimal notation and range limits.
• Check each unit symbol in the context of the procedure, table and illustration.
• Review whether the hazard, consequence and precaution are all conveyed in each warning.
• Match the step sequence, component name, screen label and figure reference.
• Compare the delivery file against the model, revision code and current source version.

Illustrative check: the meaning of a maintenance step

This example is explanatory; it is not an instruction for a real product or a customer case. Imagine the source says, “Disconnect the power supply; tighten the connection to 30 N·m.” The review compares the sequence and the condition requiring disconnection first, then the value “30” and the unit “N·m”. Writing the value as “30 Nm” is different from accidentally changing it to “3.0 N·m”. If the source contains a technical ambiguity, the value is not altered by guesswork; a question is recorded for the technical contact.

Distinguish translation, graphics and revision work

Text translation, placing translated text into artwork and producing a print-ready layout are different tasks. The quote should identify the files to be translated, graphics to be edited and delivery formats. Updates use the previous approved translation, new source and change list together. If a later model or software change affects the files to be delivered, the scope is clarified again.

• The sections, models and revisions to be translated
• Agreed delivery as Word, another editable format or a final PDF
• Screen text, text within graphics and layout work where included
• Terminology notes and source queries within the agreed scope
• File names or revision information linking the deliverables to the source version

Frequently asked questions