Self Tapping Screws

Self tapping Screws

Self tapping screws have the ability to form internal female threading into the materials in which they are being drilled. They are used when dissimilar objects must be joined together, and are drilled into materials such as softer metals, plastic, wood and fiber glass. The threading is made from hardened metal, usually stainless steel, so that it may easily form a thread in the hole that flows around the screw. Self tapping screws are sometimes referred to as tapping screws or sheet metal screws, because they are often used to drill threaded holes in sheet metal. The automotive and construction industries use these them regularly.

These screws have the ability to advance through a material while turning without the use of an electric drill. The internal thread is created by a gap in the continuity of the thread on the screw. Fine threaded screws are used in harder materials like metal and hardwoods, while coarse threads are used in softer materials like plastic. This is to prevent the material from splitting, which will happen if the thread is too course in material that is too soft. They are available in 2 different varieties—thread-cut, which usually have blunt heads and sharp threads, and thread-formed, which are for softer materials and need a higher torque drive.