Technical translation is the area of translation where linguistic correctness is only the starting condition. One parameter carried over incorrectly in a manual, one term lost in a patent or a standard number cited wrongly in a declaration of conformity creates a specific financial, legal and safety risk. Our technical translation service was created precisely to eliminate this risk: we work with engineering, industrial and IT documentation, where every unit, designation and reference must match the source and comply with the technical norms of the target market.
What technical translation means and how it differs from general translation
The aim of general translation is to convey the meaning correctly. The aim of technical translation is for an engineer, technician, auditor or patent examiner to use the translated text exactly as they would use the source. This means that:
- the same term must be translated the same way throughout the document, even if it is repeated a hundred times over 400 pages;
- figures, units, tolerances and ranges are carried over without change, and where necessary unit conversion is done separately, in a clearly marked form;
- the structure of the document, the numbering, cross-references and tables keep the logic of the original;
- warning text (WARNING, CAUTION, NOTICE) is translated in the hierarchy set by the ANSI Z535 and ISO 3864 standards.
Technical translation is not "a translator plus a dictionary". It is a process in which the translator, the subject-matter editor and the terminology base each have their own role.
Terminological precision in the engineering and IT field
A subject-matter glossary for every project
Before starting work we create a project glossary: we extract the key terms, agree their Georgian equivalents with the client's engineers and record them in the terminology base. This is especially important when the company already has an established internal vocabulary: for one plant "switch" and for another "breaker" may mean different devices.
The reality of Georgian technical terminology
In Georgian many modern engineering and IT terms are still not finally established. We rely on the terminology adopted by the Georgian National Agency for Standards and Metrology (GEOSTM), on subject-matter dictionaries and on the forms actually used in practice. Where a Georgian equivalent does not exist or is ambiguous, we leave the English term in brackets at the first mention, so that the engineer can compare with the source.
Units, standards and designations
SI units, IEC 60417 graphical symbols, ISO 7000 pictograms, IP protection classes, material markings (EN, ASTM, GOST) and voltage and frequency designations are translated not literally but in the form the relevant standard requires. The decimal separator, thousands separator and date format follow the convention of the target market.
Working with formats: CAD, PDF, XML and localisation files
Technical documentation rarely arrives in a Word file. Our working process covers:
- AutoCAD (DWG/DXF): translation of text objects, attributes and notes without changing the drawing geometry, preserving the layer structure. Georgian font support is verified before the drawing is returned.
- PDF (scanned and vector): OCR processing, layout restoration, translation of table and diagram captions.
- InDesign, FrameMaker, XML/DITA: structured documentation without damage to tags.
- Software interfaces: JSON, XLIFF, RESX, PO files, respecting string length limits and placeholders.
- Excel tables and BOM lists: component lists, warehouse codes, part numbers unchanged.
We use CAT systems with translation memory, which both ensures consistency on repeated segments and speeds up the work when the documentation of a new version of the same equipment is translated.
Areas of technical translation
The technical translation service brings together six specialised areas. Each has its own terminology base, quality criteria and subject-matter editor:
- Translation of technical manuals: equipment operating manuals, installation and service instructions, safety warnings.
- Patent translation: invention applications, patent claims, description and drawing captions for Sakpatenti and international offices.
- Translation of technical certificates: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 certificates, CE declarations of conformity, test reports.
- Technical specifications and AutoCAD drawings: design documentation, construction and engineering drawings, terms of reference.
- HSE and safety rules: occupational safety instructions, risk assessments, SDS/MSDS sheets, plant regulations.
- Product catalogues: industrial catalogues, datasheets, technical passports, price lists.
Quality control: a three-stage process
- Translation is done by a translator who has working experience in the specific field (mechanics, power engineering, IT, chemical industry, construction).
- Subject-matter editing checks the technical content: whether the term is correct, whether the sequence of actions is logical, whether the figures match.
- Formal verification (QA) automatically compares numbers, units, tags and compliance with the terminology base, followed by a final visual check in the finished format.
This process follows the principles of the ISO 17100 standard, which requires exactly these two independent stages (translation and revision) for translation services.
Who this service is for
- importers and distributors of industrial equipment who are required by law to provide a Georgian manual;
- engineering and construction companies working on international tenders and design documentation;
- IT companies and startups localising their products;
- operators in the energy, oil and gas and logistics sectors;
- patent attorneys and R&D teams;
- quality managers undergoing ISO certification or preparing for a foreign audit.
Confidentiality and data security
Technical documentation often contains trade secrets: an unpublished patent, a production formula, the specification of a new product. On every project we sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA), files are kept in an encrypted environment, and after the project is completed the data is deleted in full at the client's request.
Frequently asked questions
Which language pairs do you work in for technical translation?
The main directions are English, German, Russian, Turkish, Chinese, Italian and French in relation to Georgian, in both directions. Requests for other languages are assessed individually according to the availability of a subject-matter translator.
Can you translate drawings directly in the DWG file?
Yes. We work in the AutoCAD source files, translate the text objects and attributes and return them in the same format without changing the layers, blocks and geometry.
Who checks the technical terminology?
The translation is checked by a subject-matter editor with experience in the specific industry. It is desirable for the client to involve their own engineer at the glossary approval stage as well, which ensures full alignment with the internal terminology.
Does a technical translation need notarization?
For working documentation, as a rule, no. However, certificates, declarations of conformity and patent documents to be submitted to a state body often require a certified translation. We provide this service too on a one-stop basis.
How long does large-volume documentation take?
The standard pace for one translator is 2,000-2,500 words a day. On large projects we create a team of several translators with a shared terminology base, which shortens the deadline considerably without loss of quality.