<p>Fabricating thin films in a cost effective way is a key approach for technological advancement and for creating new materials for specific applications. This study presents an indigenously fabricated, programmable dip-coating unit for thin film fabrication, that can be used for photocatalytic applications. The dip coating unit integrates an arduino microcontroller and a stepper motor, providing adjustable control over withdrawal speed and dwelling time. With a total cost of approximately 10,000 INR, it serves as an economical and easily assembled alternative to conventional commercial systems. The performance of the dip coater, and hence the properties of deposited films was evaluated by varying withdrawal speed, dwelling time and by forming multilayer coatings. Optimum deposition condition was arrived at, for fabricating films with better photocatalyitic activity. Photocatalytic efficiency of optimized thin film sample under sunlight was assessed by using methylene blue as model pollutant, yielding an efficiency of 79.35% in 90 min at the first cycle of photocatalysis. Reusability of the photocatalyst was confirmed by evaluating activity of the film for four cycles. The fabricated dip coating unit is thus found capable of depositing high quality thin films suitable for effluent remediation.</p> Graphical Abstract <p></p>