Translation-Pro May 19, 2009:

@Bobby Hi Bobby,
One of the references I provided implies, like other Google hits (e.g.,
http://www.patent-de.com/20060216/DE102004036005A1.html),
that "wachfreier Betrieb" is not the same as "nicht überwachter Betrieb".
In fact, "überwachter Betrieb" can be "wachfrei" at the same time.
The origin of "your" term may be the marine term "wachfrei", meaning that you don't have to stand watch.
This would explain why "ohne ständige Beaufsichtigung" is used as a synonym for
"wachfrei".

translators May 18, 2009:

GL = Germanischer Lloyd
this is for a crankshaft "Kurbelwelle" that GL was inspecting in order to approve it for use in a ship motor

Steffen Walter May 18, 2009:

Additional question What does GL stand for?

David Moore (X) May 18, 2009:

Context Bobby, please can you tell us what sort of machine this is - that may make all the difference to the answers you get - or not...