--- title: "Machine Monitoring" slug: "machine-monitoring" status: "update" updated: 2025-12-19T21:38:28Z published: 2025-12-19T21:38:28Z canonical: "support.tulip.co/machine-monitoring" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://support.tulip.co/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Machine Monitoring *Learn the basics of {{glossary.Machine}} monitoring in Tulip before learning how to set up your first machine.* ![Video](https://www.youtube.com/embed/Lmc75mjiZFI?rel=0){height="576" width="1024"} **In this article, you will learn about:** * **The capabilities of the machine monitoring feature in Tulip** * **How to track machine data without setting up an app** The **Machines** page, within the {{glossary.Shop Floor}} tab, lets you manage your machine data in Tulip. ![Go to machines pages](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Go%20to%20machines%20pages.png){height="" width=""} There are two ways to monitor machine data in Tulip: 1. **Without Apps:** By simply setting up an OPC UA {{glossary.Connector}} and connecting your OPC UA fields to atrributes in Tulip, you can begin tracking and analyzing data. 2. **Within Apps:** If you have to combine human-centric data (audits, machine inspections, maintenance history) with machine data in real-time, you will need to set up an app that can be run in the {{glossary.Tulip Player}} to combine the human data with machine data. Tulip can help you monitor one machine or hundreds of machines. You can track data across multiple machines under one category. ## Set up machine monitoring Here are the 7 steps needed to setup machine monitoring in Tulip: 1. **Set up an OPC UA** Connector on the "Machine Data Sources" 2. Create a Machine Type to organize your machines 3. Create an {{glossary.Attribute}} to organize data from multiple machines 4. Connect your machines to Tulip and map their data on the "Machine Library" page 5. Set up Machine {{glossary.Triggers}} to map Attributes to Machine States 6. Create an {{glossary.Analytic}} for your machine data (optional) 7. Update machine history from an app (optional) Read more about how to set up your first machine [here](/r230/docs/how-to-set-up-your-first-machine-1). ## Machines page See a list of all machines that are connected to Tulip. ![Machines page ex](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machines%20page%20ex.png){height="" width=""} Use the **Grid View** to get a visual overview of all current machines. In the example below, 4 out of 5 machines are offline. ![Machines grid view](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machines%20grid%20view.png){height="" width=""} Use the **Progress Bar** view to see the history of every machine over the past 3 hours. ![Machines progress view](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machines%20progress%20view.png){height="" width=""} Select a machine to view its details, activity, and configuration. ## Machine types Organize your machines by type. A {{glossary.Machine Type}} is a defined set of criterea to categorize similar machines. ![Machine types\(2\)](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20types%282%29.png){height="" width=""} When you assign a machine type to a new machine, it assigns the configured states, downtime reasons, attributes and triggers. ![Machine types configuration.png](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20types%20configuration.png){height="" width=""} Learn how to set up machine types [here](/r230/docs/set-up-machine-types). ### Machine attributes Define and manage all {{glossary.Attribute}}s that can be used to organize machine data. Machine attributes are necessary to capture data coming from machines. ![Machine attributes](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20attributes.png){height="" width=""} ### Activity fields The activity fields determine the data in a machine's activity table. ![Machine activity fields](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20activity%20fields.png){height="" width=""} ### Downtime reasons Downtime reasons provide context for downtime events. Downtime reasons come default, but you can also create your own. ![Machine downtime reasons](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20downtime%20reasons.png){height="" width=""} ### States States are used in analytics, such as OEE calcuations. These can also be useful to track what state your machines are actively in throughout the day. ![Machine states](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Machine%20states.png){height="" width=""} ## Create analytics with machine data ![](https://cdn.document360.io/7c6ff534-cad3-4fc8-9583-912c4016362f/Images/Documentation/Intro%20to%20Machine%20Monitoring_195037915.png) Read about how to create analyses using machine data [here](/r230/docs/machine-data-analysis). ## Use machine data in apps Read about how to use machine data within your frontline operations apps [here](/r230/docs/how-to-use-machine-outputs-in-triggers). ## FAQ ### Can I use machine triggers and Automations on the same machine? A: Yes. Machine triggers execute first, then Automations. This is useful for hybrid scenarios where a machine trigger updates state and an automation writes to a Tulip table. ### How do I monitor machines 24/7 without Automations? A: Use machine triggers exclusively. They are included with the platform and run headless. However, machine triggers cannot write to Tulip tables or call connector functions. ### Can I copy machine types across instances (Development → Production)? A: Yes, with [Import and export configuration](/r230/docs/export-and-import-configuration-v2). You cannot export and import the Machine(s) nor Machine Type(s) directly. The Machine(s) and Machine type(s) gets exported and imported as part of a related app (in which the Machine is being used in some way). ### What happens if my OPC UA server goes offline? A: Tulip marks affected machines as "Offline". When the connection restores, machines return to their previous state (Running/Stopped) based on attribute values. OPC UA queues attribute values during downtime, so no data is lost. ### Can I use machine monitoring in GxP-validated environments? A: Yes. Machine triggers and Automations are deterministic and audit-logged. Include machine types and triggers in validation documentation (IQ/OQ) and use change control procedures before modifying production machine types. ### How do I handle time zones for multi-site deployments? A: Tulip stores all timestamps in UTC. Configure your {{glossary.Instance}} timezone in **Settings**. Machine data timestamps use the instance's timezone. For multi-timezone analytics, use timezone conversion expressions in analytics. ### Can I integrate Tulip machine data with external MES/ERP systems? A: Yes. Use Automations to write machine data to Tulip tables, then use connector functions to push data to external systems. Alternatively, external systems can pull data using Tulip table APIs. ## Further reading * [How To Build Your First OPC UA Connector](https://support.tulip.co/docs/how-to-build-your-first-opc-ua-connector) {{snippet.Did you find what you were looking for}}