Andon is a visual and audible signaling system that allows operators to call for help, signal an abnormal condition, or stop a production line when a problem occurs. In manufacturing documentation, it appears in lean manufacturing guides, line control procedures, work instructions, standard work charts, and equipment interface descriptions where escalation and response rules are defined; the term is often retained as a loanword with an explanatory gloss.
Andon appears in lean manufacturing training decks, line-side work instructions, MES dashboards, and HMI alarm screens. Translators often need to decide whether to keep 'andon' as a borrowed term, use 'andon board' or 'andon light,' or translate it as a signal tower or call lamp depending on the audience and document type.
A common mistake is translating andon literally as 'lamp' or 'light' without conveying the call-for-help or line-stop function, or treating it only as a status indicator. Another error is inconsistent use across UI and training material; operators may learn one term in the interface and another in work instructions, weakening response to line issues.
The EU Machinery Directive requires documentation in the language of the destination market. Safety-related terms must map exactly to the wording of the governing standard.
Angel Translation locks terms like this into a project terminology base before expert review begins, so the same source term resolves to the same target term across every document in a submission — and stays consistent in the next revision. See the 8-step AI + expert workflow.
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