Definition
An event log is a time-stamped, automatically generated record of technical events (alarms, state changes, faults, communication errors) captured directly by equipment or control system software, without requiring a person to observe and note them. It is a machine-generated technical record, distinct from a machine logbook's human-authored, informal observations.
Key facts
- Automatically generated by equipment or software, not manually written by an operator or technician.
- Time-stamped and typically comprehensive, capturing events the system detects even if no person is present to observe them.
- A key data source for diagnostic codes, fault codes, and reconstructing the sequence of events before a failure.
- Distinct from a machine logbook, which is a human-authored, informal running account rather than a system-generated technical record.
How does Event log work in maintenance?
An event log captures technical events automatically as a control system or piece of equipment detects them (an alarm triggering, a state transition, a communication fault) each time-stamped, providing a comprehensive record independent of whether a human happened to notice or record it manually.
What does Event log require?
A machine logbook is written by people: operators and technicians noting what they observed. An event log is generated automatically by the equipment or software itself, capturing every detected technical event regardless of human observation, making it a more complete but less contextual record than a human-authored logbook entry.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Which technical events are logged with a time reference?
An event log records them: time-stamped technical events such as alarms, state changes, and faults, generated automatically by equipment or control system software rather than written manually.
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