Engineering & compliance manuals
As your equipment from China enters the Turkish market, its conformity documents and safety manuals must be ready in accurate Turkish
Türkiye’s product legislation is generally aligned with the EU; for machinery, electric vehicles, solar energy and electronic products, placing on the market, customs and market surveillance inspections often require a Turkish declaration of conformity, installation and maintenance manuals and safety warnings. Yeni İpekyolu (New Silk Road)’s translators with engineering backgrounds translate your Chinese technical files into proper Turkish aligned with EU standard terminology, so distributors, inspection bodies and end users understand them with ease.
Technical documentation under EU-aligned Turkish legislation
The CE mark is recognised, but documents must be in Turkish
Because of the customs union relationship between Türkiye and the EU, much of Türkiye’s industrial product legislation (in areas such as machinery, low voltage and electromagnetic compatibility) largely overlaps with the corresponding EU directives and regulations, and the CE mark is generally recognised in Türkiye. For Chinese manufacturers, this means a significant part of the technical files prepared for the European market can also serve as a basis for Türkiye. But “recognised” does not mean “nothing to do”: documents intended for Turkish users and authorities generally need to be in Turkish.
In practice, Turkish user manuals, safety warnings and declarations of conformity are frequently requested during dealer acceptance, customs procedures and market surveillance inspections. Which documents must be in Turkish and what they must contain depends on the product group and applicable legislation, which is also updated in line with changes in the EU. Confirm current rules with the relevant authority and verify them with your importer or compliance consultant.
DANGER, WARNING, CAUTION: even a single decimal error is a risk
Accuracy and consistency are essential in translating compliance documents. Directive and standard numbers in the declaration of conformity must be kept exactly as they are, and there must not be the slightest difference in the manufacturer name, model and signature details. In installation and maintenance manuals, a single decimal error in values such as torque, voltage or clearance can lead to damage to the equipment or injury.
The level wording in safety warnings is equally important. Turkish usually uses “TEHLİKE” (danger), “UYARI” (warning) and “DİKKAT” (caution) to distinguish risk levels, and the same risk must be given the same wording in the manual, on labels and in training materials. We build a glossary for your product group, keep the Turkish wording aligned with the equivalents commonly used in EU standards and maintain consistency in later updates.
A faulty English intermediate version and Chinese image labels
The first problem is that the English version was itself translated from Chinese and contains errors, which are carried over when translating from English into Turkish. The second is that the labels on images in the manual are still in Chinese or English, so Turkish technicians cannot cross-check. The third is that the product has changed and rating plate values have been updated, but the manual and declaration of conformity have not.
In addition, many companies see documentation as the last step before shipment and start preparing it only when the dealer insists. We recommend putting the Turkish documents on the schedule when planning the product’s entry into the Turkish market and asking your Turkish importer in advance for the information to be included in the documents. This way, there are no delays due to missing documents after the goods reach the port.
We don’t issue certificates; we translate your conformity file into accurate Turkish
Yeni İpekyolu translates your Chinese or English engineering documents into standard Turkish, builds a glossary, carries out typesetting and replaces labels in images. We do not issue CE, TSE or other certificates, test products, write risk assessment conclusions on your behalf or decide on product conformity; these are the responsibility of the manufacturer, notified bodies, institutions such as TSE, or your compliance consultant. Our contribution is making sure these documents are correctly understood in Türkiye.
Before starting, prepare the editable source files, the model list, applicable directive and standard numbers, any English version or term list, product images and label samples, and the importer details to appear in the documents. If you have both Chinese and English versions, send them together so we can carry out a comparative check. When the information is complete, we finish the entire document set in one go and reduce later extra work.
Manufacturers bringing their equipment to the Turkish market
Manufacturers exporting machinery to Türkiye
Products such as CNC machines, packaging lines and construction machinery should be delivered with Turkish operating, installation and maintenance manuals. Machinery manuals should generally cover installation, commissioning, daily operation, maintenance and residual risks. If the manual is missing, the dealer may be unable to complete acceptance on delivery.
Electric vehicle and charging equipment companies
Vehicle owner’s manuals, charging station installation instructions and battery safety information for Turkish dealers and service teams. Because electric vehicles and charging equipment involve high voltage and battery safety, warning information is especially important. Technical training materials for service teams can also be translated at the same time.
Solar energy and storage suppliers
Installation manuals, wiring diagram explanations and technical specifications for panels, inverters and storage systems, frequently requested in tender and acceptance processes in Türkiye. EPC contractors and employers compare the specifications with the bid file item by item. Values and units must be exactly the same as in the original.
Consumer electronics and white goods brands
Having user manuals, warranty terms and safety instructions in Turkish makes it easier to enter Turkish retail channels. Some product groups also require a warranty certificate; confirm current rules with the relevant authority. We can also unify the terminology of these documents with your engineering documentation.
Translations from declarations of conformity to text in images
Declaration of conformity (DoC)
Turkish version of the EU/Türkiye declaration of conformity, with directive and standard numbers kept exactly as they are. Manufacturer details, model and signatory information in the declaration are identical to the original. The content of the declaration is the manufacturer’s responsibility; we only translate it and do not make declarations on your behalf.
Installation, operation and maintenance manuals
Steps, torque values, electrical parameters and troubleshooting tables are translated in full, with units consistent in the metric system. Inch-pound units in the source are kept or have conversions added as notes, as you prefer. Section and figure numbers in cross-references remain correct in translation.
Risk assessment and safety instructions
The risk assessment report, residual risks and “DANGER / WARNING / CAUTION” levels are rendered with their correct equivalents. The same risk is given the same wording in the manual, on labels and in training materials. The manufacturer carries out the risk assessment; we are responsible for accurate translation.
Technical files and specifications
Technical specifications, test report summaries and label texts, which can be organised together with the CE technical file. We help you organise scattered Chinese documents into Turkish documents that the inspection body or importer can review easily. We do not issue test reports or certificates.
Building a glossary
A Chinese–Turkish glossary is prepared for your product group, ensuring consistency in later updates. Terms are kept aligned with the Turkish expressions commonly used in EU standards. Dealer and service teams can use this glossary too.
Layout and text in images
Typesetting is done in InDesign, Word or PDF, and labels in images are also translated into Turkish. Fonts are checked to support the letters ç, ğ, ı, İ, ö, ş and ü. Before delivery, the labels in each image are checked for consistency with the text.
Service summary and requirements
| Turnaround | Depends on page count and typesetting complexity |
|---|---|
| Pricing | Per word · typesetting extra |
| Language direction | Chinese / English → Turkish |
| Service languages | Chinese · Turkish · English |
| Cities served | Mainly Istanbul; also Ankara, Izmir and other cities |
The final price and timeline depend on your documents and scope; we send a clear quote within 2 hours.
What you need to provide
- Editable source files (Word, InDesign, Excel, etc.)
- Model list and applicable EU directive / standard numbers (as confirmed by you or the certification body)
- Existing English version or term list, if any
- Product images, label and rating plate samples
- Turkish importer or distributor details, if they are to appear in the documents
A technical translation workflow that starts with term approval
- 1
Files and product information
Send the Chinese or English source text in editable files, and state the product type and applicable directives or standards. If your certification body or importer has written requirements, share them too. We define the translation scope and delivery format accordingly.
- 2
Term approval
A core term list is extracted first, and full translation begins after your engineers approve it. Part names, operating modes and warning wording are the focus of the approval. Approved terms are used identically across all documents.
- 3
Translation and technical check
An engineering translator translates, and a second translator checks values, units, warnings and cross-references. If both Chinese and English versions exist, inconsistencies between them are also checked. Issues found are presented to you as a list for approval.
- 4
Typesetting and delivery
Once typesetting is complete, PDFs and source files are delivered, ready for printing or publishing with the product. The glossary and translation memory are kept. When the product changes, only the changed parts are updated.
Frequently asked questions
Does the manual for a product sold in Türkiye have to be in Turkish?
Generally, yes. Turkish operating and safety information is required for products placed on the market in Türkiye. The exact requirement varies by product group and the relevant legislation; we recommend confirming with your importer or conformity consultant and verifying current rules with the relevant authority.
Can you obtain CE or TSE certification for us?
Certification is the responsibility of the manufacturer and notified bodies or institutions such as TSE (Turkish Standards Institution); we do not issue certificates. We translate the relevant technical files, declarations and manuals into accurate Turkish and can provide language support in communication with local authorities. The relevant body decides whether the certificate is granted.
We only have an English version; can you translate from that?
Yes. If a Chinese source is also available, we compare the two versions and present any inconsistencies for your approval. Since many English versions were themselves translated from Chinese, comparing with the Chinese can reveal errors in the English.
Our product has the CE mark; is anything else needed in Türkiye?
Much of Türkiye’s product legislation is aligned with the corresponding EU directives and regulations, and the CE mark is generally recognised in Türkiye. However, a Turkish manual, importer details, a warranty certificate for some product groups, or other local requirements may still apply. Confirm the details with your importer or compliance consultant and verify current rules with the relevant authority.
Must the declaration of conformity be translated into Turkish?
When products are placed on the market or during market surveillance inspections in Türkiye, competent authorities and importers generally want to see a Turkish version of the declaration of conformity. The exact requirement varies with the relevant product legislation. We recommend preparing the Turkish version in advance so you are not scrambling for a last-minute translation during an inspection.
EU legislation has changed (e.g. the Machinery Regulation); do we need to change our manuals?
The relevant EU legislation is being updated and Türkiye generally adapts its own legislation accordingly; however, timing and details depend on regulations officially published in Türkiye. Your compliance team or certification body should decide how the manuals need to change. Once the content is clear, we update the Turkish version quickly using translation memory.
Can you help if documents are requested during a market surveillance inspection?
We can quickly translate the inspection authority’s letters and requests and render the technical files you prepare into Turkish. If needed, we also provide interpreting support in communication with your importer or the authority. Your importer, compliance consultant or lawyer should decide how to respond to the inspection and on matters of legal liability.
Tell us what you need in Türkiye
Our Chinese-speaking consultant reviews it for free and gives you a clear price and timeline.
