  A versatile table-top dusty plasma experimental (DPEx) device to study flow
induced excitations of linear and nonlinear waves/structures in a complex
plasma is presented. In this {$\Pi$}-shaped apparatus a DC glow discharge
plasma is produced between a disc shaped anode and a grounded long cathode
{tray} by applying a high voltage DC in the background of a neutral gas
{(Argon)} and subsequently a dusty plasma is created by introducing micron
sized dust particles that get charged and levitated in the sheath region. A
flow of the dust particles is induced in a controlled manner by adjusting the
pumping speed and the gas flow rate into the device. A full characterisation of
the plasma, using Langmuir and emissive probe data, and that of the dusty
plasma using particle tracking data with the help of an idl based (super)
Particle Identification and Tracking (sPIT) code is reported. Experimental
results on the variation of the dust flow velocity as a function of the neutral
pressure and the gas flow rate are given. {The neutral drag force acting on the
particles and the Epstein coefficient are estimated from the initial
acceleration of the particles}. The potential experimental capabilities of the
device for conducting fundamental studies of flow induced instabilities are
discussed.
