STAINLESS STEEL HEXALOBULAR LOW HEAD CAP SCREWS ISO 14580

Hexalobular Low Head Cap Screws ISO 14580 — Hexalobular low head cap screws combine the reduced head height defined for low head cap screws with a six-lobed drive rather than a hex socket. ISO 14580 governs this particular combination and — like the hex-socket low head range — exists to fit assemblies where a standard DIN 912 head simply won't clear an adjacent component or shallow counterbore. The hexalobular drive matters more here than on a full-height cap screw for a straightforward reason: a shorter head has less material to accommodate a deep recess in the first place, so whatever drive is used is already working with a shallower engagement than on a standard cap screw, and a lobed recess's wider contact area helps offset that reduced depth and resist cam-out, particularly where the screw is driven by a powered tool.

Typical applications mirror the standard low head range — compact housings, instrument enclosures, and any close-fitting mechanism where head height above the surface is a hard constraint — with hexalobular versions specifically worth choosing on production runs using powered or repeated tightening, since a rounded-out recess is a more costly failure on a high-volume line than on a one-off assembly.

Grade guidance is unchanged from the wider socket screw range: A2 for indoor, low-corrosion-risk work, A4 where the assembly meets salt, moisture, or process chemicals. Given that low head screws are often buried inside compact, hard-to-service assemblies, it's generally worth treating any doubt about the operating environment as a reason to specify A4 rather than assume A2 will be adequate, since replacing a corroded fastener in a tight assembly is disproportionately more disruptive than in an open one.

Choosing size means confirming the clearance problem first — head height and counterbore depth — before selecting diameter, then a length giving full thread engagement in the tapped material. Because the shallower head also limits achievable driving torque regardless of drive type, this remains a clearance-driven choice rather than a load-driven one.

FAQs
How does this compare with the low head screw with pilot recess (DIN 6912)?
DIN 6912 low head screws include an additional pilot recess machined under the head, typically for spigot location or weight saving; ISO 14580 hexalobular low head screws are defined primarily by their reduced head height and hexalobular drive, without that pilot feature. Exact head dimensions differ slightly between the two standards, so drawings should reference the specific standard designation rather than treating the two as dimensionally identical.

Does the lower head height limit the torque this screw can be driven to, compared with a full-height hexalobular cap screw?
Yes — the shallower recess and smaller head bearing area mean lower achievable driving torque and clamp load than a full-height ISO 14579 screw of the same diameter, regardless of the drive type.

Can hexalobular and hex-socket low head cap screws be mixed within the same assembly?
Geometrically yes, since the head form is equivalent, but it's worth standardising on one drive type per assembly or production run to avoid needing two different bit or key sets on the same job.