The steel self-drilling screw with zinc plating has a pan head and a Phillips drive. 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 Phillips drive has an x-shaped slot that accepts a Phillips driver and is designed to allow the driver to slip out of the head to help prevent over-tightening and damage to the thread or fastener.
Self-drilling screws, a type of self-tapping screw, are threaded fasteners that drill their own hole and thread it as they are installed. Usually only recommended for use with metal, self-drilling screws are available with wings that enable use when fastening wood to metal. The drill point length should be long enough to penetrate both materials being fastened before the threading portion reaches the material.