Method and device for the markless control or regulation of a digital printing process

A method for controlling or regulating a production process with a print form-variable production device that includes an order, wherein, for the order, product data for a production step of the production device for creating an intermediate, part or end product is stored in a storage device, comprising the steps of:

• (a) in individual tracks of a remaining print image of an intermediate, part or end product, in which remaining print image merely definable parts of a print image originally printed onto a substrate are visible, scanning the remaining print image with a scanning device after a predetermined production step of the production device;
• (b) comparing the scanned remaining print image with the product data, in the form of imaging data in combination with at least imposition schema and production structure data, for said production step of the production device for creating the intermediate, part or end product stored in the storage device, from which product data a process sequence is known, to allocate the scanned remaining print image to the order;
• (c) based on the comparing, checking of a previous processing or production step and/or calculating following control actions needed for further processing of the order allocated to the intermediate, part or end product;
• and
• (d) carrying out print form-variable production of the intermediate, part or end product as the following control actions with the production device.