The 316 stainless steel set screw with plain finish has a hex socket and cup point, and meets American Society of Mechanical Engineers ASME B18.3 and American Society for Testing and Materials ASTM F880 specifications. The 316 stainless steel grade provides strength and offers better corrosion resistance than 18-8 stainless steel, especially in marine environments. The material may be slightly magnetic. The hex socket drive has a hexagonal slot that requires an Allen key driver, also known as a hex key or Allen wrench. The cup point has an edge that grips the mating surface with enough power for use in permanent and semi-permanent applications.

Set screws hold objects in place by use of pressure at the point, and are often used in semi-permanent applications and where fine adjustment is needed. Set screws are available with a variety of point styles, which determine how the screw interacts with the object it is placed against. These threaded fasteners typically do not have an external head.