Countersunk Flat Head - Geometry That Sits Flush
The defining feature of this fastener is its conical underside, which mates with a matching countersink - typically 82°, 90°, or 100° included angle. When driven home, the top of the head lies level with or just below the surrounding surface. This delivers three engineering benefits:
No protrusion: nothing catches on the fastener head, making it ideal for sliding tracks, rotating covers, and stacked plates.
Clean appearance: on visible housings and panels, a flush head looks deliberate rather than an afterthought.
Compact stack-up: by eliminating head height, overall assembly thickness is reduced - critical for thin-wall enclosures and compact mechanisms.
Our CNC turning centers cut the countersink angle, head diameter, and drive recess in a single setup, ensuring concentricity between the drive cavity and the shank - a detail that directly impacts tool engagement and torque transfer.
Drive Type Options - One Head, Seven Recesses
While the flat head profile remains constant, the drive recess machined into the top face is fully customizable. Different applications call for different engagement geometries. KEY-CNC supports all major drive types on our flat head screw platform:
|
Drive Type |
English Name |
Characteristics |
Common Applications |
|
Phillips |
Phillips Drive |
Most common; universal tool compatibility |
Electronics, furniture, general machinery |
|
Torx / Star |
Torx Drive / Star Drive |
Anti-cam-out; high torque transfer |
Automotive, industrial equipment |
|
Hex Socket Drive / Allen Drive |
Withstands high torque |
CNC equipment, precision machinery |
|
|
Slotted |
Slotted Drive |
Traditional, simplest structure |
Legacy equipment, low-cost applications |
|
Combination |
Combination Drive / Phillips Slotted |
Compatible with two tool types |
Industrial standard hardware |
|
Square |
Square Drive / Robertson Drive |
Resists cam-out effectively |
North American woodworking, construction |
|
Tamper-Resistant Torx |
Tamper Resistant Torx |
Anti-tamper design |
Security equipment, public installations |
Why Drive Type Matters
The recess geometry determines how much torque a screw can accept before the driver cams out or the recess deforms. For a flat head screw used in a high-vibration assembly, switching from Phillips to Torx can significantly increase clamp load retention. For tamper-sensitive installations, a Tamper-Resistant Torx recess prevents unauthorized removal. During your DFM (design-for-manufacturability) review, our engineers help match the drive type to your torque requirement, tool availability, and security needs.
Material and Surface Care
The substance of a Phillips Flat Head Screw determines its reliability. Key-CNC uses traceable stock and offers a range for your operating environment:
- Carbon steel (12L14 / 45#) is inexpensive and strong for general-purpose assemblies, usually coated with zinc coating or black oxide.
- For medical, maritime, and outdoor equipment, stainless steel (303, 304, 316) offers corrosion resistance and can be passivated upon request.
- The alloy steel (SCM435 / 42CrMo) is heat-treated to specification and has high tensile strength for structural and load-bearing joints.
- The aluminium (6061-T6 / 7075-T6) is lightweight and can be anodized in clear or bespoke colours for weight-sensitive designs.
- The ornamental, non-magnetic, and conductive brass (C360) is ideal for electrical hardware and conspicuous premium assembly.
Anodising, black oxide, zinc/nickel plating, passivation, sandblasting, and polishing finish surfaces. Material certificates are supplied per batch for all RoHS-compliant coatings.
Custom Manufacturing - Built to Your Drawing
KEY-CNC does not stock catalogue screws. Every Phillips Flat Head Screw is produced to your specifications:
Thread: metric M1.6–M20 coarse/fine, or imperial UNC/UNF; custom pitches available.
Head angle: 82° (standard inch), 90° (metric standard), or 100° (thin-sheet applications).
Drive recess depth and size: tuned to your torque target and tooling.
Length and shoulder: configured to panel thickness and engagement depth.
Tolerances: thread pitch ±0.01 mm, head diameter ±0.05 mm, recess depth ±0.03 mm.
Send a STEP, IGES, or DWG file and our English-speaking engineers return a DFM review - typically within 24 hours. Prototypes ship in 5–7 working days, and volume production in 2–3 weeks, with delivery to North America and Europe in 3–7 business days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I get a Phillips Flat Head Screw with a non-standard head angle?
A: Yes. While 90° is the metric standard and 82° is common for inch-series hardware, we regularly machine 100° heads for thin-gauge sheet metal and custom angles for specialty applications.
Q: Can you produce this fastener in titanium?
A: Yes. We machine from Titanium Grade 2 (commercially pure) and Grade 5 (Ti-6Al-4V) for medical, aerospace, and weight-sensitive applications.
Q: How do you ensure the drive recess is centered and the correct depth?
A: The head and recess are machined in the same CNC setup, which maintains concentricity. Recess depth is held to ±0.03 mm and verified by gauging before shipment.
Q: Can you supply both Phillips and Torx versions of the same screw?
A: Absolutely. We can produce the same screw body with any of the seven drive types listed above - useful when a single assembly uses different drive types for assembly-line tool management or security zoning.
Hot Tags: phillips flat head screw, China phillips flat head screw manufacturers, suppliers, factory
