Early-entry saw
A lightweight saw with a skid plate that cuts control joints much sooner after finishing than conventional sawing allows, reducing the risk of random cracking.
What does early-entry saw mean?
Cutting earlier means getting ahead of shrinkage stresses that build in the first hours, which is the whole point. The tradeoff is a shallower cut depth than conventional sawing, so joint spacing and slab conditions have to suit the method. Early-entry systems typically cut dry with vacuum dust collection.
In practice
On large commercial slabs, the early-entry crew often follows the finishers by only an hour or two, working under the same lights.