§1What this business is
A digital panel meter measures voltage and shows it on a digital display. Resistors, capacitors, chips and transistors are soldered onto printed circuit boards; power supply, switching, integrator, comparator and counter sections are assembled and tested for accuracy, drift and input impedance; standard voltages are fed in to calibrate each meter. Buyers are panel builders and process industries.
Capacity: Production value ₹9.78 L a year (quantity not printed in the profile).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An instrumentation engineer or technician with contacts among control-panel builders.
Who it is not for
Someone without electronics calibration skills.
Advantages
- Small investment (₹3.65 L)
- Industrial demand from refineries, fertiliser and chemical plants (profile)
- The profile says part of the need is met by imports
- Calibration skill is a barrier for new entrants
Drawbacks
- Very thin margin in the profile (₹0.52 L surplus at full capacity)
- Needs accurate test and calibration equipment
- Industrial buyers want certified accuracy
- Big instrument brands dominate
Skills you need
- PCB assembly and soldering
- Calibration and testing
- Reading circuit diagrams
- Selling to panel builders
Why difficulty 3/5: Small cost but needs real calibration skill, and margins are thin.
§3Market
Who buys
- Chemical refineries and fertiliser plants
- Control-panel builders
- Process industries
How it sells
- Direct supply to panel builders
- Industrial instrument dealers
Good to know
- The profile says the yearly requirement is high and part of it is met through imports.
- It also claims a good export market for the product.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Digital voltage standard | 1 | — |
| Drilling, shearing and bending machines | 1 lot | — |
| Instrument lathe | 1 | — |
| Painting unit | 1 | — |
| Oscilloscope and signal generator | 1 lot | — |
| Multimeter and LCR bridge | 1 lot | — |
| PCB tools | 1 lot | — |
| All equipment (profile total) | 1 set | ₹2.00 lakh |
From: KVIC Project Profile — DIGITAL PANEL METERS (PMEGP)
- Printed circuit boards, chips, electrolytic and polycarbonate capacitors, metal-film resistorsraw material ₹5.25 L a year at full capacity
- Transistors, zener diodes, transformersnamed in the profile
- Labels and packing material₹20,000 a year
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- Calibration of reference instruments (for example through an NABL-accredited lab) to back accuracy claims
§6Schemes & subsidies
- PMEGPCentralActive15–35% subsidy
- MudraCentralActiveLoan up to ₹20 lakh, no collateral
- CM YUVAUPActiveUp to ₹5 lakh, interest-free
A ₹3.65 L project: PMEGP and MUDRA fit; within UP's CM-YUVA range.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: KVIC profile: equipment ₹2,00,000 (digital voltage standard, drilling, shearing and bending machines, instrument lathe, painting unit, oscilloscope, signal generator, multimeter, LCR bridge, PCB tools) + working capital ₹1,65,000 = ₹3,65,000. Land own.
Working capital: Working capital ₹1.65 L — components (raw material ₹5.25 L a year).
Year not printed on the KVIC profile — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: ESC (Electronics and Computer Software Export Promotion Council)
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Accuracy complaints and returns
- Thin margins
- Component shortages
- Competition from established brands
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working digital panel meters unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Digital Panel Meters?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.