ISO 9001 
ISO 17100 
ISO 18587 LinguaVox provides machinery translation services for machinery manufacturers, distributors, integrators, installers and service teams. We manage multilingual projects in more than 150 languages, combining specialist translators, project management, terminology control and review workflows according to what each assignment requires.
Translation for the machinery and equipment sector
Machinery documentation has to be practical. Clear, consistent wording is what lets a machine be run, serviced and commissioned safely in every market where it is sold, and it is what an importer, an installer and a service engineer all rely on when they open the same manual in different languages. An operator follows the manual to run the machine safely; a maintenance technician follows it to service it; an installer follows it to commission it. A wrong term in a control, a warning or a maintenance step is not a stylistic problem but a safety one. Machinery sold across borders also usually has to carry instructions in the official language or languages of the country where it is used, so manuals are multilingual from the outset and have to stay consistent across every version.
Before we quote, we identify the document type, reader, destination market, format and review level, because those points determine the translator profile and quality workflow.
Documents we translate
Typical documents include operator and maintenance manuals, installation and commissioning instructions, spare parts catalogues, safety warnings and labels, technical specifications, declarations and accompanying technical documentation, control-panel and HMI text, and training material. Some are printed, some are on-screen, and some are revised with each new machine version. We treat the manual, the labels and any interface text as one connected set, so the same function is named the same way wherever it appears.
Before quoting, we review the files whenever possible to identify non-editable text, tables, screenshots, embedded graphics, repetitions, multilingual layouts, versioning issues and instructions that should be applied during translation.
Specialist translators and quality control
Projects are assigned to translators with machinery or technical experience and the right language combination. Where the project runs under ISO 17100, a second qualified linguist carries out a bilingual revision against the source, and the project manager then checks files, instructions and delivery format before completion.
Where machine translation is the agreed approach for suitable content, we provide full post-editing under ISO 18587. A lighter post-editing level is only used when it is explicitly agreed for the content concerned and is not equivalent to full post-editing under ISO 18587. Safety warnings and operating instructions are normally translated by people and revised.
Safety wording, parts catalogues and updates
Three things tend to define machinery projects. First, safety wording must be consistent and unambiguous, so we keep standard warnings in a controlled glossary. Second, spare parts catalogues mix codes, descriptions and tables, where reference numbers must stay untouched while descriptions are translated; we handle these so codes are preserved exactly. Third, manuals are updated often, so we use translation memories to reflect only what has changed and keep the rest consistent, which shortens turnaround on new machine versions. Where instructions accompany a machine for compliance purposes, we translate them into the required languages, while responsibility for regulatory conformity remains with the manufacturer. We can also keep separate memories per product line, so that a press, a conveyor and a packaging line do not borrow each other's wording, while still sharing the standard safety phrases that apply across all of them.
Related services
Machinery translation often connects with technical translation, software and HMI localisation, legal and certified translation, desktop publishing for manuals and catalogues, subtitling for training videos and terminology management. The right combination depends on the files and on how the content will be used.
How to request a quote
To prepare an accurate quote, send the files, the language combination, the deadline, the destination markets and the intended use, with any previous translations, parts data, glossaries or style preferences. For multilingual releases we can organise staged deliveries, separate files by language and keep a consistent structure across markets, so translation fits your release schedule.
Frequently asked questions
Do you translate machinery instructions into the languages a market requires?
Yes. Machinery generally has to carry instructions in the official language or languages of the country where it is used, and we coordinate those languages together. We translate the content accurately; responsibility for which languages are required and for conformity remains with the manufacturer.
How do you keep safety warnings consistent across manuals?
We hold standard warnings and labels in a controlled glossary and apply them across every manual and language, so the same hazard is described the same way each time. This is reviewed as part of the project, because inconsistent safety wording is one of the most common problems in machinery documentation.
Can you handle spare parts catalogues with reference codes?
Yes. Parts catalogues combine codes, descriptions and tables. We translate the descriptions while leaving reference numbers and codes untouched, and keep the layout intact, so distributors and service teams can order the right parts without confusion.
Do you translate HMI and control-panel text?
Yes. We translate on-screen control and HMI text in its native string format, respecting length limits and placeholders, and keep it consistent with the printed manual so the same function is named identically on screen and on the page.
How are manual updates handled when a machine changes?
We use a translation memory, so when a manual is revised we translate only the changed content and reuse the approved wording for the rest. This keeps versions consistent across languages and reduces both cost and turnaround for each new machine variant.
