Case study
How LightBurn Localized into 27 Languages with Taia’s Software Localization Workflow—Boosting Efficiency and Quality
- Content type: UI & Saas Localization, Manuals
- Industry:Â Software Development
- Company size:Â SMB
Client Background
LightBurn Software is a leading provider of laser engraving software, known for its intuitive platform that supports a wide range of laser engraver controllers.Â
With users worldwide, LightBurn was ready to expand its reach by offering its software in 27 different languages, ensuring accessibility and usability for its growing international customer base. However, they faced significant challenges in building an efficient software localization workflow to reach their growing international audience. They needed a SaaS translation platform that could deliver scalable localization workflows for software as a service.
Managing consistent, efficient, and cost-effective translations, given the complexity of their UI and the technical nature of the content seemed impossible to the team, until they found Taia.
The Challenge
Before partnering with Taia, LightBurn struggled with a fragmented software localization process. They relied on multiple translators from different companies, which led to inefficiencies, increased costs, and inconsistent translations.
The lack of a centralized vetting process for translators meant that the quality often varied, and translators frequently misunderstood the technical context, resulting in errors.
Additionally, managing multiple projects across languages was a time-consuming task for their internal team, and it ultimately affected their ability to provide non-English-speaking users with the same quality of experience.
As Adam Haile, Engineering Director at LightBurn, put it: “We were way behind on translations, to the point where the application was primarily in English for most foreign customers.”
The team was considering reducing their supported languages to a handful, as keeping up with the demand seemed unattainable under their previous workflow.
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The Taia Solution
Taia approached LightBurn’s software localization needs with a custom-tailored solution. Knowing that LightBurn’s application was built with QT, Taia designed a specialized workflow that leveraged the strengths of QT-specific translation capabilities, including the use of QT Linguist, which allows linguists to review translations directly in the app’s context.
This workflow combined AI-assisted pre-translation, Translation Memory (TM), and a team of expert linguists who could review and validate translations directly within the context of the UI, ensuring technical accuracy and consistency.
One of the key steps in the process was a thorough analysis of the source content, followed by the creation of a comprehensive glossary and list of terminology. This served as the foundation for achieving consistency across all translated versions of the app. By focusing on the preparation of linguistic assets early in the process, Taia ensured that every linguist involved could refer to the same terminologies, which reduced discrepancies and delivered a more polished final product.
Taia’s team also addressed the need to integrate previously translated sections, whether done by LightBurn’s passionate community or their previous Language Service Provider (LSP). These sections were deeply reviewed, proofread, and merged seamlessly into the new translations, maintaining the consistency and coherence of the final product.
Results and Impact
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- Increased Efficiency: By consolidating translation management under a single team and leveraging a centralized glossary, Taia reduced the burden on LightBurn’s internal team. Adam shared: “Taia made any of it feel actually possible. We had considered actually dropping down to only 6-8 primary supported languages at one point because it was too much to keep up with otherwise.” Now, LightBurn is fully localized in 25 languages, opening their product to a much broader audience.
- Higher Quality and Consistency: The use of specialized tools, like QT Linguist and AI-assisted pre-translation, combined with internal consistency checks, has greatly improved the quality of translations. “Our domain space is not easy to translate since it requires a lot of technical knowledge. It is good to know that that knowledge is shared internally at Taia for use with our translations,” Adam noted.
- Cost Reduction: Taia’s combination of AI, TM, and human expertise allowed LightBurn to achieve significant cost savings compared to their previous methods, while also receiving higher-quality translations.
- Scalability and Future-Readiness: With the API integration in place, LightBurn is now prepared to handle future content changes seamlessly, reducing turnaround times for updates and ensuring they can maintain their release schedule without localization becoming a bottleneck.
“Taia made any of it feel actually possible.”
— Adam Haile,
Managing Director at LightBurn Software AG Switzerland
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Client feedback
Overall, LightBurn’s experience with Taia has been overwhelmingly positive. The communication and attention to detail were highly appreciated by LightBurn, with Adam describing it as “fantastic”. The only suggestion for improvement involved modernizing the feedback and glossary vetting process—moving away from Excel and adopting cloud-based tools like Google Docs to streamline collaboration further.
Adam also expressed that Taia’s responsiveness and support allowed them to stay on track even when the volume of work seemed overwhelming: “Taia made it all actually possible.” He would recommend Taia to other organizations because of the simplicity and value provided compared to the amount of effort required on the client side.
Conclusion
LightBurn’s story showcases how a tailored software localization service—coupling modern AI technologies with human expertise—can transform an inefficient, costly, and fragmented process into a streamlined, cost-effective, and high-quality operation. Taia’s customized workflow, proactive project management, and strategic use of linguistic assets helped LightBurn successfully localize their app into 27 languages, making their software accessible and engaging for users worldwide.
LightBurn is now positioned to continue its global growth, with a software localization process that adapts seamlessly to their development cycle, ensuring they remain at the forefront of the laser engraving software industry across the world.
If your software company is struggling to keep up with the demands of localization, Taia can provide a streamlined, scalable software localization service tailored to your needs.
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FAQ
What are scalable localization workflows?
Scalable localization workflows are processes designed to handle growing translation needs without sacrificing speed, cost control, or quality. For SaaS companies, this means using a SaaS translation platform like Taia to manage updates, translation memory, and glossaries — so you can add new languages or expand markets without reinventing your process each time.
What is SaaS localization?
SaaS localization is the process of adapting software-as-a-service applications for different languages, cultures, and regions. Instead of just translating text, it ensures the product feels natural and intuitive in every market. Done right, localization for SaaS applications boosts adoption, retention, and customer satisfaction.
What’s the difference between software localization and SaaS localization?
Software localization generally refers to adapting desktop or packaged software, while localization for software as a service focuses on cloud-based applications. SaaS localization requires faster, ongoing translation cycles because the product is constantly updated.
How do localization services for SaaS applications work?
A provider like Taia streamlines the process: upload files, get AI-powered translations, refine them in a CAT tool, and add professional human review if needed. These localization services for SaaS applications ensure consistency across UI, help pages, and marketing assets — even as your software evolves.
What is SaaS translation?
SaaS translation is the process of converting all text in a software-as-a-service product — from UI strings to documentation — into other languages. It’s a key part of SaaS localization, making your product usable and appealing to international audiences.
Which SaaS translation platform is best for growing companies?
The best SaaS translation platforms combine automation with professional review. Taia, for example, offers scalable localization workflows, translation memory, and glossaries — features that help SaaS teams manage frequent updates without losing quality.
How is translation for SaaS different from other translation projects?
Unlike one-off document translation, translation for SaaS is continuous. Every software release, UI change, or new feature requires updates. That’s why teams rely on localization services for SaaS applications to keep translations aligned across multiple languages and versions.
What are the most scalable translation platforms for large SaaS companies?
The most scalable solutions are platforms built for ongoing product updates, role-based collaboration, and automation. Tools like Taia enable enterprise teams to handle thousands of strings or documents at once while maintaining accuracy and brand consistency.
