A method for the additive manufacture of a product, wherein a melt is discharged via a 3D printing nozzle and the melt is deposited in the form of a melt strand in order to form the product on a printing table, wherein the 3D printing nozzle and/or the printing table are moved in space in accordance with a computer program which is specific for the product, wherein the melt is directed to the 3D printing nozzle via a needle valve nozzle (3,12) having a housing and a nozzle needle which can be displaced therein, wherein, while carrying out the printing procedure, the nozzle needle is moved between a closed position, in which the nozzle needle lies against an outlet opening of the housing which is in fluid connection with the 3D printing nozzle and which closes this outlet opening, and an open position, in which the nozzle needle has a distance from the outlet opening of the housing which can be specified, wherein, for the additive manufacture of the product, a volumetric flow of melt being discharged from the 3D printing nozzle is specified, which is specified by the shape of the outlet opening of the 3D printing nozzle and therefore of the geometry of the melt strand to be deposited on the one hand, and the speed of movement of the 3D printing nozzle and/or of the printing table on the other hand, wherein the nozzle needle is moved between the closed position and the open position while carrying out the printing procedure in a manner such that during the additive manufacture of the product, the specified volumetric flow of melt being discharged from the 3D printing nozzle is maintained, characterized in that as a function of the geometry of the 3D printing nozzle, in particular of the shape of the outlet opening of the 3D printing nozzle and thus of the geometry of the melt strand to be deposited, a control curve is stored in the controller or in a computer system, and this control curve is used during the additive manufacture of the product, wherein the channel cross-section is altered in accordance with the control curve. wherein the melt is directed to the 3D printing nozzle via a needle valve nozzle (3,12) having a housing and a nozzle needle which can be displaced therein, wherein, while carrying out the printing procedure, the nozzle needle is moved between a closed position, in which the nozzle needle lies against an outlet opening of the housing which is in fluid connection with the 3D printing nozzle and which closes this outlet opening, and an open position, in which the nozzle needle has a distance from the outlet opening of the housing which can be specified, wherein, for the additive manufacture of the product, a volumetric flow of melt being discharged from the 3D printing nozzle is specified, which is specified by the shape of the outlet opening of the 3D printing nozzle and therefore of the geometry of the melt strand to be deposited on the one hand, and the speed of movement of the 3D printing nozzle and/or of the printing table on the other hand, wherein the nozzle needle is moved between the closed position and the open position while carrying out the printing procedure in a manner such that during the additive manufacture of the product, the specified volumetric flow of melt being discharged from the 3D printing nozzle is maintained, characterized in that as a function of the geometry of the 3D printing nozzle, in particular of the shape of the outlet opening of the 3D printing nozzle and thus of the geometry of the melt strand to be deposited, a control curve is stored in the controller or in a computer system, and this control curve is used during the additive manufacture of the product, wherein the channel cross-section is altered in accordance with the control curve.