Screws come in all shapes and sizes. They are used in nearly every application you can think of, bringing two pieces of material together safely and securely.
There is a good chance that you have come across a thread-forming machine screw in your day-to-day life without realizing it. Here are the most common types you will find.
Thin Steel
When talking about a thread-forming machine screw, thin steel tends to be the most common. Sometimes called self-tapping screws, these have a sharp point and wide spaced threads for locating holes and assembling quickly.
Thick Steel
Also known as thread-rolling screws, these are similar to standard machine screws but the threads have been hardened into ductile steel. Some are made for low driving torque, others for high stripping torque. Check hole size first before going with this kind of screw.
Plastic
It is not uncommon to find a plastic thread-forming machine screw these days. They have a wide range of strengths, plus fantastic elasticity. For plastic pieces, they can be directly assembled into the plastic to save time and money.
Lightweight Alloys
These screws have a slightly modified thread geometry and use magnesium or aluminum rather than steel. The pull-out force is much lighter and has a lower yield strength as well. Make sure that the length of the thread engagement and the hole size are carefully considered before making use of lightweight alloy thread-forming screws.
