You simply attach a die to the heated plate, load a roll of hot stamping foil, pop a part in the fixture and you are ready to go.
Hot stamping is a very permanent process. When a part is marked with a properly formulated foil, it can withstand some very harsh conditions. When using a metal die on a plastic part, you can actually brand the part at the same time. So, if the color should fade or wear off the branded image will remain.