The steel thread cutting screw has a zinc plating, a Type F point style, and a pan head with a square drive. The type F point is suitable for heavy gauge sheet metal, aluminum, cast iron, brass, and plastic. The screw has machine screw threads that taper down to a blunt point with multiple cutting edges and chip cavities. Steel is often used in applications where strength is the primary consideration. The zinc plating offers corrosion resistance and has a reflective appearance. The pan head has a flat top and short vertical sides with a rounded top edge. The square drive resists slippage better than a Phillips or slotted drive.
Thread cutting and thread rolling screws, two types of self-tapping screws, are threaded fasteners that create a mating thread in the wall of a hole. The two screws differ from each other in the way that they create the threads. Thread cutting screws cut the wall of the hole to create the thread, creating material chips that need to be cleared away from the hole to prevent clogging. Thread rolling screws, also called thread forming screws, do not remove material but instead press against the wall of the hole to displace the material and form the threads.