Method and device for applying portions of adhesive

A method for applying individual portions of adhesive to a substrate, in which the portions of adhesive are applied successively to the substrate by means of a valve (13), a coil (18) of an electromagnet being energized with an actuation voltage pulse (20) for each successive dispensing of portions of adhesive from the valve (13), which causes a valve opening of the valve (13) for an effective opening duration, namely an opening duration during which a respective adhesive portion can effectively flow out of the valve (13) for dispensing the respective adhesive portion, wherein the effective opening duration of at least one of the valve openings which follows a valve opening which precedes it in time is shortened in comparison with a hypothetical effective opening duration of the subsequent valve opening without such shortened duration, said shortened duration being done in accordance with one or more valve operating parameters in order to compensate for effects which extend the effective opening duration of the subsequent valve opening, and being done by applying an actuation voltage pulse (20) to the coil (18), which causes the shortened effective opening duration.