3 Ways To Use The Stampinator to Make Your Screen Printing Better

The new Stahls Hotronix Stampinator is one of our most valuable tools at our partner facility, MADE Laboratory. Whether we’re screen printing fleece, flashing mid-cycle, or fully curing ink, this tool plays multiple roles in our workflow.

In this post, we’ll walk through our three go-to applications for the Stampinator, along with key starting points for temperature and timing.

Setting the Right Time & Temp

Before diving into the three methods, it’s crucial to start with the right foundation—temperature and time. These values vary depending on two factors:

• Rubber vs. Teflon: If you're using the green rubber pad, run your Stampinator 25–30°F hotter than if using standard Teflon only. That extra thickness affects heat transfer, so compensate accordingly.

• Ink Type: For low-cure inks (e.g. 280–290°F), reduce your Stampinator temperature about 20°F compared to standard-cure inks (320°F). Always verify with the ink manufacturer.
  

For most cotton white plastisol applications, we start at 320°F for 4 seconds, then adjust based on fabric thickness and performance.

1. Pre-Stamping (Before Print)

Ideal for: Thicker garments, fleece, or textured substrates

One of our most reliable uses of the Stampinator is pre-stamping—pressing the fabric before it hits the ink. On today’s job, we’re printing on Allmade’s Organic CVC Fleece, and this technique helps flatten out the texture for a smoother surface.

• Settings: 320°F for 4 seconds

• Setup: Pre-stamp head activated before the white ink print stroke

• Result: Flattens fibers, improves ink laydown, and boosts opacity.

• Mesh & Ink: Just two strokes of cotton white ink through a 157 thin-thread mesh delivers a crisp, clean print.

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2. Flash Stamping (After Print, Before Overprint)

Ideal for: Mid-cycle flash instead of a traditional flash unit

This method uses the Stampinator as your flash unit, immediately following your underbase. In our demo, we’re printing the front chest of a CVC fleece hoodie.

Because of the pocket seam, we had to raise the Stampinator’s front slightly—about 1mm—to ensure even contact.

• Initial Settings: 320°F for 4 seconds

• Adjustment: Dropped to 300°F for fleece which retains more heat and adjust pressure for seam obstruction.

• Tip: If ink transfers to the Teflon, it’s either one of two things, over flashing to cure point, or under flashing or not enough pressure. Touch the ink, if it is still wet or sticky, it is an under flashing issue, in that case make adjustments to increase time or temp by one second or 5 degrees or add more pressure if there are seams or obstructions in the way. If it is dried, then go the other direction, lower time or temp by 1 second or 5 degrees. Test again until you have a good release and no ink left behind.

• Cleanup: Ink wipes right off the Teflon with a dry rag if you’re using plastisol.

After adjustment, we achieved a perfect flash with a smooth, tack-free surface ready for overprint.

3. Cure Stamping (Final Ink Cure)

Ideal for: Complete in-line curing without conveyor dryers

The final way we use the Stampinator at MADE Lab is for full curing, replacing the need for a belt dryer or heat tunnel in short runs or specialty workflows.

• Settings: 320°F for 7–8 seconds

• Options:

  • Teflon sheet: Leaves a glossy, transfer-like finish

  • Stahls Kraft Paper: Produces a matte, traditional screen print feel while also matting down fibers
    

We tested both, then ran a stretch test to confirm complete cure—no cracking, no ink lift. Both passed with flying colors.

Pro Tip: Use Velcro or spray mist to secure the craft paper. Stahls also manufactures compatible sheets that are optimized for Stampinator use.

Whether you're running fleece hoodies or lightweight tees, the Stahls Hotronix Stampinator gives you the consistency and flexibility to adapt to any job.