STAINLESS STEEL HEXALOBULAR + PIN BUTTON SELF TAPPING SECURITY SCREWS

Hexalobular + Pin Button Self Tapping Security Screws — This is the thread-forming counterpart to the standard Hexalobular + Pin button screw: instead of running into an existing tapped hole, the point cuts its own mating thread as it's driven, which makes it the right choice for fixing directly into plastic, timber, or thin sheet metal where there's no pre-tapped hole or captive nut behind the panel. The button head keeps the same rounded, proud profile as the machine-thread version, and the recess is identical too — a six-lobe pattern with a raised centre pin that blocks any standard Torx bit, so only a matching security bit or key will turn it. Self-tapping security screws like this are common in enclosure and cabinet assembly, street furniture, and public fit-outs where the base material is often sheet metal, board, or moulded plastic rather than something with a machined thread already in it. Getting the pilot hole right matters more here than with a machine screw: too small and the screw will be hard to drive and may strip the recess before it seats; too large and the formed thread won't grip properly, undermining both fixing strength and tamper resistance, so pilot diameter should always be matched to the screw size and the specific base material rather than guessed. Grade choice follows exposure as it does across the range — A2 is adequate for indoor and sheltered applications, while A4 is worth the extra cost outdoors, in coastal locations, or anywhere washdown chemicals or road salt are a factor, since it resists pitting corrosion far better over time. There's no ISO or DIN standard specific to this proprietary security recess; the thread-forming point itself typically follows conventional self-tapping thread geometry, while the drive pattern and its matching tooling are unique to the security range. One point worth checking before specifying: repeated removal and refitting into the same self-formed thread, particularly in softer materials, can wear the engagement and reduce holding power on subsequent fittings, so these are better suited to fixings that won't be repeatedly disturbed.

FAQs
Which base materials work best?
Plastics, timber, and thin-gauge sheet metal that can accept a formed thread, provided the pilot hole is sized correctly for the screw diameter and the specific material being fixed.

What if the formed thread wears from repeated removal?
If the original hole wears from repeated removal, the next size up in the same range can sometimes be re-driven to catch fresh material, though this isn't always practical in thin sheet.

What driver is required?
A Hexalobular + Pin Security Drive Bit, or the equivalent Security Wrench Key, both machined with the centre pin clearance needed to engage the recess.