Self-Drilling Sheet Metal Screws
General Description
The direct fastening system drills the required hole, forms the thread, and securely fastens the components together in a single operation.
No pre-drilling, punching, or thread cutting is required.
Self-drilling screws are available with:
- Phillips drive
- Hexalobular (Torx®) drive
- SR drive
This ensures efficient and consistent installation, especially in high-volume applications using power tools.
Standards
The head shapes and dimensions of self-drilling screws comply with standard DIN specifications.
Performance, dimensions, and testing are defined according to:
- DIN 7504
Thread specifications for self-tapping screws (marked as ST) comply with:
- DIN 7970
Materials
Self-drilling screws are manufactured from:
- Case-hardened steel (min. 560 HV 0.3 surface hardness)
- With a tough core (270–425 HV 0.3)
Threads
Self-drilling and self-tapping screws feature full-length threads to ensure secure and reliable fastening.
Applications
- A2 stainless steel self-tapping screws are recommended for use with aluminium alloys up to 75 HB (Brinell hardness)
- Aluminium self-tapping screws are suitable for plastics and aluminium alloys
Types
- DIN 7504 M-H / ISO 15481 – Pan head, Phillips, self-drilling screw
- DIN 7504 O-H / ISO 15482 – Countersunk head, Phillips, self-drilling screw
- DIN 7504 K / ISO 15480 – Hex washer head, self-drilling screw
- “Opel screw” – Self-tapping, Phillips screw for back panels
- “Trailer screw” – Torx® drive, metric, countersunk, winged self-drilling screw










