Here is another shorter attempt
Make a new table with the Key field in the format EQ-Date. Also make a field on the index table called [Eq-Date exists?] with a checkbox formula of true.
Make a calculated field on the equipment usage table to calculate to the format EQ1-01-24-2019
Make a relationship based on that field to the index table. Lookup the field [Eq-Date exists?]
Make a summary report if the unique [EQ-Date] records and export to the index table to initialize. Include a filter on that report to only export if the [Eq-Date exists?] is not checked.
Export to the index table to initialize it and make formula fields in the index table to separate out the equipment name and the date into separate fields.
Make an Automation to create the index record when and equipment usage is modified and the index record does not exists.
Make an Automation to auto delete each night if the index record has no children (after adding a summary count field to t(e relationship). That will clean up where the equipment usage record was edited to a different date or equipment or was deleted.
