Extron CTU 45 (part number 101-024-01) — a ratcheting RJ-45 crimp tool and die built for shielded twisted pair terminations that have to survive the field.

Most bad twisted pair links trace back to the connector: a pin that never seated, a shield braid that never bonded, a strain relief that lets go the first time somebody pulls the cable. The CTU 45 removes those failure points by closing everything at once. Seat an Extron XTP DTP 24 Plug in the die, squeeze until the ratchet lets go, and the contact pins, the cable's metal strain relief, and the overall grounding shield are all locked down in that one pass. There is no separate shield-crimp step left to forget.

Key Capabilities

• One-pass termination — pins, strain relief and grounding shield are crimped together in a single cycle.
• Ratchet control will not release until the cycle is complete, so a half-squeezed, partial crimp is not possible.
• Extron-engineered die machined from solid steel, verified by testing to a minimum of 50,000 cycles.
• Pivot pins multiply leverage; with the soft-grip handle, the tool asks very little of your hand over a long day of pulls.
• Rugged yet light steel frame intended for rough job-site conditions.
• The die is user-replaceable — order the Extron CTU RJ-45 Die, 101-025-01 — and it also drops into Extron CTU 300 four-in-one crimp tool frames.
• Color-coded wiring label on the tool body for quick reference to pin order; the T568B scheme is illustrated.

Where It Is Used

Anywhere Extron digital twisted pair links are made on site rather than ordered pre-made: classroom and lecture-hall AV rollouts, boardroom and huddle-space fit-outs, control rooms, clinical and medical imaging display networks, houses of worship, and stadium or command-center projects where a rack of extenders depends on a few dozen hand-terminated RJ-45 ends.

Specifications at a Glance

• Type: universal RJ-45 termination tool and die
• Cable and plug pairing: Extron XTP DTP 24 shielded STP cable with XTP DTP 24 Plugs
• Also fits other modular shielded or unshielded RJ-45 plugs, keyed and non-keyed
• Ratchet-controlled steel frame with ergonomic soft-grip handle
• Die: solid steel, user-replaceable, minimum 50,000-cycle rating

Also referenced as Extron CTU45, CTU-45, part number 10102401.