A man in Dundalk is creating a business based around a piece of technology that he says can help small businesses everywhere.

With some basic machine tools, free online software and some old fashioned ingenuity, James Taafee has developed his own 3-D printer design that he plans to manufacture in Dundalk.

“There are no barriers to launching a business in a small community like Dundalk, I am an hour away for all of the metropolitan centres for distribution and materials and you know what we need the business up here.”

The printer uses thin layers of melted plastic to build up three dimensional shapes that can be used for prototyping, mould making and anything else your imagination can come up with.

After 18 months of development Taaffe is ready to start selling his printers, just a few at time at first but he's planning to grow because the printers will sell for under $2,000 - a price he says will make precision 3-D printing technology more accessible to more people and small businesses.

Taaffe says his printers will be selling online next week and if all goes well he plans to hire local high school students to help put them together.