Machine Translation Solutions
Machine translation solutions have arrived – and they are here to stay. Machine translation solutions are attractive because they promise shorter lead times for high-quality results at the lowest possible prices.
Sounds good, doesn’t it? However, the search for a suitable machine translation solution for a company’s own translation process raises a whole range of questions for a start… It’s almost like buying an item of fine clothing, like a suit… Do I buy one “off the rack” or do I invest in a tailor-made version? Which fits suits me, which colour should I choose, what about the fabric?
Many, many internal and external factors influence the decision.
What level of quality do I expect from my suit? Where do I want to wear it? How much time do I have before I need it? Do I need the suit right away or can I wait for a tailored suit to be finished?
So before coming to any decision about the purchase, certain aspects must be taken into consideration and open questions must be answered.
As specialists in artificial intelligence and technological solutions related to multilingual processes, we actively lend our support to our customers with consultation, development and implementation of an appropriate MT solution. To us MT is not just a product. It’s a service!
Are you currently looking for an appropriate MT solution for your business? We have created a short guide for you here to offer support when you are making your decision.
You can get an initial overview with our “Checklist for Machine Translations”. This list will help you with reflecting on your expectations and formulating what your requirements are.
Precision work from tsd
To develop an appropriate machine translation solution, first of all we take some “measurements” from the customer.
Together with the customer we work out what the technical challenges and expectations imposed on a MT solution are.
In addition, questions are answered such as what language combinations are needed, what level of quality does the customer want, what data set can we use and what reference materials are available.
Based on the results, we can then give expert advice to our customers about various options.
Our specially developed “Checklist for Machine Translations” is the guide we base this on.
MT Engine
The thing that makes any good MT solution is what is called the MT engine.
A MT engine is a stand-alone part of a computer application that automatically translates one language into another. It normally consists of the program code, which determines the basic function of the application, and the training data, which produce the specific translation result.
Similarly to when tailoring a suit, the quality of the final result depends largely on the quality of the engine and training materials used.
MT Provider
The market of MT software providers is like a palette of colours.
To allow us to provide our customers with the widest possible spectrum of MT solutions, we at tsd collaborate with many different MT providers.
For solutions based on an “off the rack” MT engine, we make use, for example, of secure interfaces with the Business versions of popular providers, such as DeepL or Google.
For solutions where tailored engines form the basis, we work closely together with our technological partner KantanMT.
As your “tailor”, we will be happy to give you advice on choosing the right solution for your processes.
MT Engine “Off the Rack”
MT engines “off the rack” are preconfigured MT engines, such as DeepL or Google Translate.
These can be used immediately without any further adjustment.
By implementing secure interfaces between the Business version of DeepL or Google and the established Translation Management Systems (TMS), the engines can be seamlessly integrated into the translation process.
When followed by post-editing, an appropriate level of quality can be ensured.
For customers that generally have a lower volume of translations or that need a number of different language combinations, the solution with an “off the rack” MT engine would probably make for the best fit.
Tailored MT Engines
Tailored MT engines are developed individually for a specific customer.
When preparing customised engines, first of all they undergo an intensive development and training phase and only ready to use after at least 2 weeks of specialised training.
The result of this is that in addition to the general training data, customised MT engines also have customer-specific training data and their very own translation rules defined for the engine by us, against which the machine translation automatically checks again.
For customers with a generally high volume of translations and/or high quality and security requirements, a tailored solution is the right choice.
Machine Translation as a Service
When we make use of tailored MT engines in a customer process, in most cases we also look after maintenance and upkeep.
What this means exactly is that the entire value chain is maintained by us and the customer can always be sure that their content is being kept fully up to date.
What’s more, our IT team will make sure for you that the MT training data are always up to date.
This is also how we test the performance of the MT output and keep improving it, just like how any good tailor can craft not just one but several excellent suits at the same time with the right measurements and can guarantee high quality over the long term as a result.
MT in Real Time
Machine translation solutions have all different kinds of styles and fits.
This means there is the option of providing machine translations in real time, for example by integrating the solution into the business’ intranet.
Internal employees can very easily enter text from e-mails, documents etc. in a secure environment and have it translated straight away.
This method prevents any third-party systems available online from being used for translations of internal and potentially confidential information.
Post-Editing
Like how any outfit is topped off with the right accessory, a tailored machine translation is rounded off with post-editing.
Post-editing involves the results of the machine translation being checked and corrected where necessary by a trained linguist.
Depending on the desired level of quality, there is a choice between a “light” and a “full” post-edit.
You can find more information on our post-editing service here.
