Industries
Technical and Engineering Translation for the European Market
Asiatis translates technical documentation into European languages for manufacturers, machinery makers and engineering firms operating from Singapore. Work covers operating and maintenance manuals, safety information, declarations of conformity and technical files for the EU market. Every project is handled by technical linguists and revised by a second specialist before delivery.
By Asiatis Singapore · Last updated 24 August 2026
Why technical translation is different
Technical documentation is regulated safety content, priced and structured differently from prose. Three constraints shape every project:
- 1
Safety instructions are regulated content. ISO 20607 governs the safety section of machinery instruction handbooks and IEC 82079-1 governs how instructions for use are written; under CE marking, this content must be supplied in the official language(s) of the country of use. The wording is constrained, not free.
- 2
Units and tolerances carry meaning. A decimal separator, a unit conversion or a tolerance band is a technical fact. A numeric verification pass is required, because an error here is a safety and liability problem, not a typo.
- 3
Content is structured and reused. Manuals authored in DITA or XML, with content reused across a product range, need translation memory and structured-content handling so identical modules translate once and stay consistent across the range.
What we translate
| Document type | Typical target languages | Typical constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Operating and maintenance manuals | German, French, Italian, Polish | IEC 82079-1 structure, heavy DTP |
| Machinery safety instructions | Official language(s) of the country of use | ISO 20607, CE marking, constrained wording |
| Declarations of conformity | Language required by the market | Fixed legal format |
| Technical datasheets and specifications | Market languages | Units, tolerances, numeric accuracy |
| Safety data sheets (SDS) | Official languages of each market | CLP/REACH terminology |
| Quality documentation and SOPs | Language of the plant or group | Terminology consistency |
| Operator training material | Languages of the workforce | Readability, labelled diagrams |
| Labelled diagrams and schematics | All target languages | DTP of callouts, expansion handling |
How Asiatis handles these projects
Technical specialists only. Linguists working on technical content have engineering-domain experience or documented technical-translation experience. Domain assignment is not optional.
Translation memory for product ranges. Structured content in DITA or XML is translated with tags preserved and modules reused through translation memory, so identical content translates once and stays consistent.
Two-linguist process. Translation followed by independent revision, plus a numeric verification pass on units, tolerances and decimal separators.
DTP of labelled diagrams. Callouts and legends are translated and rebuilt in the original layout, with text expansion handled so labels still fit.
Confidentiality. Unreleased product data is handled under NDA with encrypted transfer and restricted access.
Key facts
- Technical content is handled by linguists with engineering-domain experience.
- Machinery safety content is produced to ISO 20607 and IEC 82079-1 in the official language of the country of use.
- A numeric verification pass checks units, tolerances and decimal separators.
- Translation memory keeps product ranges consistent and reduces cost on updates.
- The 2027 EU Machinery Regulation deadline is factored into documentation planning.
Frequently asked questions
- What language do machinery instructions have to be in for the EU?
- Machinery instructions must be provided in the official language or languages of the country where the machine is used, under CE-marking rules. Sales into several countries therefore mean several language versions; we map the requirement to your markets.
- Do you work with DITA or XML source content?
- Yes. We translate structured content directly, preserving tags and reusing modules through translation memory, so identical content across a product range is translated once and kept consistent everywhere it appears.
- How do you make sure units and tolerances are correct?
- A dedicated numeric verification pass checks figures, units, decimal separators and tolerance bands against the source, separately from linguistic revision, because a converted unit is a technical fact with safety consequences.
- Can you handle the desktop publishing of labelled diagrams?
- Yes. Callouts, legends and schematic labels are translated and rebuilt in the original layout, with text expansion handled so labels still fit and diagrams remain legible.
- What changes with the 2027 EU Machinery Regulation?
- Regulation (EU) 2023/1230 applies from 20 January 2027. It permits digital instructions under conditions while keeping the obligation to provide information in the required languages. We plan documentation so it is ready ahead of the date.
Ready to start your project?
Contact our Singapore office to discuss your translation needs.
541 Orchard Road, #09-01, Liat Towers, Singapore 238881