The term technical translation is generally used to designate translations on engineering topics. Sometimes it is also used for translations of scientific topics, such as science magazine articles or science textbooks. In other cases, it is even used as a synonym for specialized translation, for example it could be applied to a translation of a will or a video game.

Professional agencies usually offer technical translation services for documents, articles, user manuals related to different engineering and science areas of knowledge.

Normally, engineering translation is considered technical and it requires a high level of precision, consistency and accuracy. Technical translators are required to have experience in areas related to science, engineering, technologies and to have required knowledge such as previous studies to translate specialized technical documents.

Also, the best translations agencies provide technical translations following the guidelines of certifications such as ISO 17100: 2015 for quality procedures for translation services. This ensures the highest quality for the translation, and also that the agencies are hiring the best linguistics.

Our team of translators includes electrical engineers, civil engineers, mechanical engineers, chemists, physicists and other specialists. For more than 10 years we have worked with multiple companies that require translations for their specialized manuals and quality processes.

Without a doubt, technical translation accounts for the greatest workload in the professional translation sector. Therefore, translation agencies efforts do not focus solely on mastering the techniques of the language in question, but on the deep knowledge of the subject and the terminology to be discussed.

The high qualification of translation projects is achieved thanks to the procedural coherence provided by the best IT resources on the market as well as the best sources of technical documentation guaranteeing homogeneity in terminology used.

In order to offer the best result, agencies assign each translation project to the most specialized team with the most experience in the subject matter, who at all times translates into their mother tongue, thus ensuring adequate and updated language.

With the development of the Internet, online commerce and communication without borders, there is no website that does not offer its services in multiple languages. In this area there is still an excess of improvisation and thoughtless adaptation. Often, individuals and companies opt for unprofessional and technically poor translation solutions such as automatic translators, which rarely capture the nuances of context, tone and intention.

The so-called "false friends", those words or phrases that literally translated from one language to another do not mean the same or even infer otherwise, are very common. They produce sympathetic misunderstandings in spoken language and in informal settings, but they are unforgivable in written language and can lead to irremediable disagreements with an interlocutor, a client, a business partner or an authority. It is worthwhile for a bilingual professional who understands the cultures of both linguistic regions to advise you when reviewing a text.

This makes technical translation a very specialized activity that pushes translators to keep up to date with the trends in the languages they work. To translate is never to rewrite, but to transmit, and more than ever this is the function of journalism.

Accuracy is the most important issue when it comes to technical translations. Agencies that provide this kind of translations usually have a team of technical translators with years of experience with engineering, programming, software and science documents. Error-free and detailed content in your mother tongue will be provided to your target audience through agencies´ strict quality control process.

Some common types of technical translations include CAD drawings, engineering specifications, installation manuals, operation manuals, patents, responses to requests for proposals (Request for Proposal, RFP), safety manuals and software and hardware.

Computer-assisted translation tools, or CAT tools as they are commonly known, are computer programs that streamline the translation process, increase consistency among linguists in multiple documents and store translation information for future use or references. This stored information will give you a discounted price for future projects. The larger your translation memory, the lower the price of the project.

A certified translation is backed by a professional organization that uses quality controls, has a strict ethical code and only employs linguists with years of training. Accuracy is fundamental in this industry and agencies do not take it lightly. Before joining a team, agencies interview, evaluate and examine all linguists. To ensure the highest quality, agencies incorporate CAT tools into the translation, editing and proofreading (TEP) process, which creates consistent terminology and style. Also, the assigned project manager reviews all projects before finalizing and delivering them.

The technical translation process starts with the client sending the technical document to the agency. It could be in different formats, such as pdf., Jpg., Txt., Word and more. The second step is that the agency assigns a translator to the project, based on the project needs. After that, the technical document is translated and the completed files go through a rigorous quality assurance evaluation to ensure accuracy. Finally, the technical document is delivered to the client.