Name: InkCheckHero
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (48 reviews)
Author: InkCheckHero

Question 1

What is Total Area Coverage (TAC / TIL) and why do print houses reject files?

Accepted Answer

Total Area Coverage (TAC), also called Total Ink Limit (TIL), is the sum of Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Key (Black) ink percentages at any given pixel (C + M + Y + K, ranging up to 400%). Commercial print houses inspect incoming PDFs using automated RIPs and Acrobat PitStop preflight. When files exceed saturation thresholds, the printer halts production and kicks the artwork back to the designer for revision. Excessive liquid ink cannot dry in time on high-speed presses, causing set-off smudging, paper wrinkling, and spoiled batches. Standard pressroom limits are: 300% for coated paper (ISO Coated v2 / Fogra 39/51), 280% for uncoated offset (Fogra 52), and 240% for newsprint.

Question 2

How does InkCheckHero's Auto-Fix differ from basic Photoshop curve adjustments?

Accepted Answer

Standard curve or brightness tweaks blindly wash out dark tones, making rich black backgrounds and deep shadows look dull and gray. InkCheckHero employs mathematical Under Color Removal (UCR) and Gray Component Replacement (GCR) algorithms. It removes overlapping CMY pigments where they produce redundant chromatic neutral darkness and compensates with the Black (K) plate. This keeps shadows crisp, deep, and true while safely pulling total coverage below the required limit.

Question 3

How does the non-destructive layer workflow work in Adobe CC?

Accepted Answer

When running inside Photoshop or Illustrator, InkCheckHero never alters or flattens your master artwork. When you click Auto-Fix TAC, the plugin generates an isolated correction layer above your artwork with a dedicated delta transparency mask. You can inspect the corrected areas, adjust the correction layer opacity, or use layer masks to selectively retain original values if necessary.

Question 4

Are my artwork files uploaded to any servers during Web Preflight?

Accepted Answer

No. Client confidentiality is paramount for prepress and packaging design. Both the Web Preflight inspector and the Adobe CC desktop plugins perform 100% of calculations locally in client memory (using HTML5 Canvas in browser and Adobe C++ imaging API inside UXP). Zero images, vectors, or client files are ever transmitted over the network or saved in cloud storage.

Question 5

How do licensing, device activation, and payment work?

Accepted Answer

After purchasing InkCheckHero Pro on the Pricing page, you receive instant activation. When you launch the plugin in Photoshop or Illustrator, it displays a Device Code. Simply enter this code on the /activate page, and your plugin unlocks immediately. Each license covers up to 3 computers (Mac & PC) and supports full offline usage. Payments are processed securely via Dodo Payments (Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, PayPal) or Lava.top (МИР, СБП).

Question 6

What is the return and refund policy?

Accepted Answer

InkCheckHero is immediately accessible digital software. Pursuant to Article 16(m) of EU Directive 2011/83/EU for digital content, all sales are final and non-refundable once access or license activation is granted. You can inspect your files completely free in our web preflight tool before purchasing.

Simple, Fair Pricing for Designers & Studios

InkCheckHero Pro Annual

InkCheckHero Pro Lifetime

Frequently Asked Questions

How does plugin activation work after payment?

How many computers can I use with one license?

Does Auto-Fix modify my original artwork destructively?

Can I use the plugin offline?

What is your refund policy?

Can I cancel my subscription anytime?