Our MACS FA system is a leak tight cage system so it provides two way protection so the animal is protected from the lab environment and lab is protected from the animal. Therefore our system can be used for BSL2/BSL3 type experiments in which the animal might be infected with pathogens dangerous to people so now researcher can use this system for Nude or Immuno-suppressed mice and also for Transgenic animals.

Multipoint Air distribution system at cage level & Balanced Airflow :-

Our Flex-Air system has ability to operate in either positive isolation or negative containment. The cage is a patented design that provide additional level of animal protection not found in conventional vent racks. HEPA filtered air is supplied through the upper back of the cage. But the air does not enter directly into cage. Instead, it follows a “tortuous air path” that bends around the cage and assure more balanced airflow at cage level. In this way, any bacteria carrying dust that may have been on the docking ports can not reach the animal micro-environment. In addition, the path way has multi point air distribution which creates a laminar airflow down the side walls of the cage and reduces potential of contaminates.

Airflow Through the Cage As air enters into the cages at the top, it must follow a “Tortuous Air Path” that captures any dust and contaminants to prevent it from reaching the cage interior under static pressure. Air is forced downward into the cage via multiple air openings or ports. This creates a laminar flow of air down the cage wall and more efficiently across the cage bedding. The warm gases and moisture are pushed up the opposite cage wall and out the multiple exhaust ports at the top. The air travels through another “Tortuous Air Path” to capture any animal dander/allergens and keeps it from entering the exhaust plenums.

Laminar Airflow for efficient bedding drying
Unlike other systems that deliver a high velocity of air at one cage entry point to stir-up the bedding, Flex-Air uses 9 multi points that deliver a gentle, sheet of air to dry bedding more effectively…even in corners. And this laminar air is delivered from the top of the cage along the side wall instead of animal level. This eliminates the hard, chilling effect that can harm some mice such as nudes. Efficient coverage, better protection.

Evenly distributes air across lower cage floor for more effective removal of moisture & gases. Very low velocity/very low volume. No cool, hard air blowing on animals that could cause animal stress.

Flex-Air^TM - Superior

Better Protection

Flex-Air’s Double blower and patented cage design with its “Tortuous Air Path” and integral seal allows you to control the pressure differential between the micro and macro-environments. The greater the static pressure differential, the better the barrier between each cage and the room.
Flex-Air’s patented cage sealing, and airflow system, prevents contaminants from entering the rodent environment and particulates from exiting…in both operating modes. Independent study has shown at least 98% containment.

Better Animal Protection – Positive Isolation Under positive pressure, the static pressure within the cage is higher than the room thereby keeping room contaminates from entering the micro-environment. In addition, the cage’s “Tortuous Air Path” traps any dust particles that may carry bacteria should any get by the system’s pre and HEPA filters.

Better People Protection – Positive and Negative Pressures
The cage’s integral seal helps keep animal allergens and particulates from escaping into the macro-environment and away from the people who continually work within that environment. The cage air is directed back through a Tortuous Air Path to trap dander and particulates, exhaust plenums and either HEPA filters to supply clean air back into the room, or exhaust directly out of the building through HVAC.

Under negative pressure, Flex-Air is even more effective at protecting people. The static pressure differential is greater in the macro-environment. This outside pressure forces the Integral seal down on the cage to prevent any leakage from the contaminated cage into the room.

Balanced Airflow – Protecting Research Quality & Integrity - In research studies, controlling variables and consistency are crucial. Flex-Air’s ability to deliver a consistent amount of air to each cage on the rack has helped investigators maintain the quality of their studies. Flex - Air will keep the AC/H in each cage within +/- 10%, no matter how many cages are docked on the rack.

Mini Barrier - Prevents contaminants from entering cage. Helps prevent cage cross contamination.

Air-Block™ Integral Seal - Keeps allergens from escaping into room. Keeps room contaminants from entering cage. Built into lid. No extra parts to handle. Saves labor. No cage exhaust into room to be captured. Reduces energy costs. Withstand about 200 autoclave cycles.

Solid Lid - Helps control pressure differential for a better barrier between the micro and macro-environments. Keeps animal allergens and possible animal contamination contained within the Flex-Air system. Prevents room particulates from entering animal.

Better drying effect at bedding level :- Our multi point air distribution covers the bedding more efficiently for better drying.

More control on Odor :- Our gentle air distribution system minimize the CO₂ and Ammonia, Humidity level at bedding which an important factor to reduce the odor. Warm moist air is pushed out through multi points on the other side of the cage where another path captures most dust and animal dander before it goes into the exhaust plenum and exhaust HEPA filter.

In case of power failure there is still some airflow through the cage even in a power outage because of our vertical main plenums, the hotter air will naturally rise creating a natural, although slight, airflow in the rack. It has been independently tested that the animals will survive a minimum of 24 hours with no forced ventilation in a FA cage.

Energy Efficient & Lower cost to operate :- With this more efficient drying, Flex-Air? operates at about half of traditional racks, only 30 ACH per cage. That makes the Flex-Air? a much more energy efficient system to operate and that can lower your energy cost especially if you are exhausting your cages directly out our HVAC.

Innovative Static Filter in Cage :- As an innovation Alternative Design provide optional static filter with in cage but not in the cage lid as other respective competitor’s are providing. The advantage of new designed static filter is that it is close to bedding so it effectively minimize the Odor, Carbon dioxide and Ammonia from cage. Besides this Alternative Design’s cages filter is not providing direct exposure to user we located our cage filter at the back side of cage body.