Today, we’re excited to announce the public beta of the Autodesk Machine Translation API—a cloud-based service that brings high-quality, domain-specific language translation directly into the hands of developers building for the global design and make community.
For years, Autodesk customers and partners have created products that span continents, disciplines, and languages. As projects become increasingly international, the need for accurate, industry-aware translation has grown dramatically. The Machine Translation API is designed to meet exactly that need.
What Is It? A High-Quality Language Translation Engine Built for Technical Workflows
The Autodesk Machine Translation API (api:default/machine-translation-api) provides programmatic access to Autodesk’s proprietary machine translation engine. Unlike general-purpose translators, Autodesk’s engine is optimized for technical terminology, industry-specific vocabulary, and design workflows—delivering more reliable translations for engineering, manufacturing, construction, and media content.
Whether you’re translating documentation, user-generated content, design annotations, or software-generated text, the API offers a more accurate alternative to consumer-grade tools.
Capabilities: What the API Can Do
The Machine Translation API provides a rich feature set designed for enterprise-grade applications and integrations. Key capabilities include:
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Support for multiple language pairs across Autodesk’s global markets
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Automatic language detection, simplifying workflows where source language may be unknown
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Optimized translation for Autodesk-specific terminology and broader technical domains
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Enterprise-level reliability, performance, and scalability
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Comprehensive error handling and retry mechanisms to ensure robust processing
What Can You Build With It?
During early beta testing, partners used the API to translate user-generated documentation and help content.
But this API unlocks far more:
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Software localization for apps and plugins
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Translation of technical documents, annotations, and project files
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Content transformation pipelines for global product releases
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Automated workflows that translate design intent, specifications, and notes
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Batch processing of diverse file types used across Autodesk tools and adjacent industries
If it contains text, the API can help you deliver it to users in their own language.
Use Cases Across Autodesk Industries
Because Autodesk serves a broad ecosystem, the Machine Translation API was built to support use cases across all the industries we touch:
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AEC (Architecture, Engineering & Construction): Translate Revit annotations, BIM data, design narratives
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Manufacturing: Localize CAD/CAM documentation, specifications, and service instructions
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Media & Entertainment: Translate production notes, asset descriptions, and pipeline metadata
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Construction technology providers: Deliver global-ready applications for jobsite teams
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ISVs building on Autodesk platforms: Provide multilingual interfaces and
How Does It Compare to Other Autodesk Translation Services?
This API is not a CAD format translation tool like Model Derivative. It focuses strictly on text translation—similar in spirit to consumer translation services but far more suitable for technical contexts.
If your workflow involves converting between file formats, Model Derivative remains your solution. If your workflow involves language translation, the Machine Translation API is the new path forward.
The service is already being used inside Autodesk, including Autodesk Assistant and Customer Forum teams for multilingual content support.
How to Get Started
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Access the API Specification
Review the full documentation and technical details here.
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Try the Public Beta
Sign up for a free or paid offer, set up your developer hub, and create a new app to obtain your API key, and begin experimenting with basic requests. Reach out to machine.translation.support@autodesk.com for support.
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Integrate with Your Workflow
Use the API to power translation in your applications, services, or pipelines. The cloud-based design ensures simple setup and fast iteration.
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Explore Sample Code & Tutorials
We will continue to publish examples and starter kits to help developers adopt the API quickly.
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Provide Feedback
How to Provide Feedback
Your feedback is essential to shaping the API before general availability. During public beta, we invite you to:
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Report issues or unexpected translation outputs
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Suggest additional language pairs or domain optimizations
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Share your integration experiences
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Submit feature requests for future releases
Information on feedback channels will be provided alongside beta access. You can post your feedback here
The Autodesk Machine Translation API represents an important step toward a more connected, multilingual future for design and make professionals. We invite you to explore the public beta, build with it, and help us shape what comes next.