Gerhard Wieder Nov 20, 2009:

I agree. That seems to clinch it. Simply “drill” then, I would say. Really helps to have the whole text.

David Williams (asker) Nov 20, 2009:

Probably not "drill out" as that is evidently "ausbohren", as is clear from this instruction towards the end: "Muss aus irgenwelchen Gründen eine oder mehrere Nieten ausgebohrt werden, muss die QS verständigt werden".

David Williams (asker) Nov 20, 2009:

How about this? "In ... wird ein Pressure Point mit d=2,5mm von der Schraubenbohrung der Annietmutter abgebohrt"?
I'm particularly puzzled by "von der Schraubenbohrung der Annietmutter". How can a screw hole in an anchor nut be used to drill anything out? Or could it mean that the drilling is done THROUGH the screw hole?

David Williams (asker) Nov 20, 2009:

Yes indeed Thanks!

Gerhard Wieder Nov 19, 2009:

My impression is that the author may well use these terms alternately as “Bohrungen einbringen” and “bohren” mean the same thing, so that “abbohren” may be used (rather misleadingly) as a third variation on the same theme here. In this case, the translation would simply be “drill”.

I translate a lot of robot manufacturing and other technical manuals, software, etc. in either direction and often find that, whilst the authors are absolutely on top of the technical aspects, their writing skills leave a lot to be desired. Your safest bet would be to query this with the customer. Given the ambiguity of the text, this seems well justified and a service to your client.

David Williams (asker) Nov 19, 2009:

No it isn't a sequential process, the number seems to indicate the position of the rivet in question. In any case, this is definitely for assembly, not disassembly of aircraft components (i.e. (c)). I presume the author would not vary at random between Bohrungen einbringen, bohren and abbohren, especially not as abbohren could be (mis)understood as the opposite of bohren.
Here is a somewhat related discussion: http://www.proz.com/kudoz/german_to_english/manufacturing/34...

Gerhard Wieder Nov 19, 2009:

Since you say that “2nd” was just used as a placeholder for a higher (sequential?) number it is thinkable that “abbohren” is used to signify a sequential process in this case (e.g. “der Reihe nach abbohren”) but it doesn’t resolve the second ambiguity which arises from the combination of “abbohren” and “Niet” and caused me to opt for "drilling out" in the first instance. This goes right to the core of the jig’s/machine’s purpose, though – is it used to (a) disassemble riveted small components (Kleinteile) from a larger assembly or (b) to replace rivets or (c) to drill new rivet holes and attach small components to a larger assembly by riveting? (Your initial query suggests either (b) or (c)). If you can answer that question then the meaning of “abbohren” in this context should be self-evident. (My apologies if I’m stating the obvious.)

David Williams (asker) Nov 19, 2009:

Elsewhere the assembly instructions also use it in such a way:

"Abbohren aller Kleinteile mit den Vorrichtungen ..."

David Williams (asker) Nov 19, 2009:

Thanks In actual fact the number isn't too relevant. It isn't the 2nd in the source text, but a higher number. I changed the number and left out the name/description of the jig for non-disclosure purposes.
It may actually be the rivet hole that is being drilled though, I suspect. Could "abbohren" mean that?

Gerhard Wieder Nov 19, 2009:

You are right, the German sentence is ambiguous. Since a ‘jig’ is used, this would imply that the rivet is drilled out by the jig rather than removed from it. The German sentence does not make clear whether the drawing specifies both the drilling out of the rivet AND the setting of it or just the drilling out. The German sentence also seems illogical because drilling out the original (1st?) rivet will destroy it so that, in all likelihood, ‘it’ cannot be set again. I therefore would also query the use of “2nd” in the current form.

David Williams (asker) Nov 19, 2009:

It seems unclear to me Does "gemäß Zeichnung von der Vorrichtung abgebohrt" actually mean "Drill the rivet out using the jig and set from below as shown in the drawing" or "Drill the rivet out and set from below as shown in the drawing of the the jig"? The first seems most logical, but the German sounds ambiguous to me.