17:57 Oct 10, 2011 

"auf" would mean on top of the concrete slab, "an" perhaps refers to the edge of the slab?

13:41 Oct 9, 2011 

I'm sympathetic to you on safety needs, but I really can't think of a way of expressing this "on top of or to" concept. I think "on a or onto a" gets close, but it sounds inelegant imo. Since the context already talks about the different places the glass can be secured, I'm going to follow Phil's suggestion and leave it out of this sentence.

13:38 Oct 9, 2011 

Thanks for the tip, but the text tells me the "profiles" were cold formed, rather than machined: ie. the were bent into shape.

13:30 Oct 9, 2011 

I do agree with both of you to some extend. But bearing in mind that constructions like these have a large impact on safety, and have prove to be lethal when not properly designed or fitted, I think that my preference goe to the German thoroughness after anyway!... ;-)

13:15 Oct 9, 2011 

Agree with Phil. The German curse of trying to overexplain things, greatly muddying the waters. BTW, the much-beloved 'profiles' are 'machined components'

18:08 Oct 8, 2011 

It does seem a slightly odd way of phrasing it - couldn't they just say 'auf oder an einer Stahlbetonplatte'?

18:02 Oct 8, 2011 

I was hoping somebody would say that! It was just that the formulation seemed so inelegant in German.

17:58 Oct 8, 2011 

I agree with your interpretation. I don't think you need to make the same distinction in your translation - you can just say "fastening to" for both.