160-Cage Double-Sided IVU Micro-Barrier System

Plan high-capacity IVU housing around two working faces

This double-sided IVU system brings a soft-film micro-barrier and centralized air architecture to a higher-capacity mouse housing layout. It is intended for approved SPF programs that want open-rack-style cage handling while keeping cage positions inside a controlled operating boundary. Scientists and facility teams can use the defined geometry to evaluate capacity, cohort organization, care traffic, and room integration before committing to a layout.

The rack measures 1820 × 820 × 2100 mm and provides 160 cage positions across 10 levels, 8 positions, and 2 working faces. Each polysulfone cage box measures 390 × 180 × 130 mm. Documented husbandry components include a 250 mL water bottle and plastic record card. A PU sealed zipper supports access through the soft-film boundary, centralized supply and exhaust serve the system, and automatic watering can be configured around the facility plan.

Double-sided housing changes the room workflow. Staff need practical access to both faces for cage checks, cage removal, water and feed handling, and exception response. A center-room or island arrangement may improve density, but only when aisles, turning space, carts, temporary cage support, and clean-to-used movement are planned on both sides. The proposed location should also keep maintenance access available without interrupting animal care.

Research consistency depends on the operating procedure around the rack. Define how animals and materials enter, how cage identity is maintained, how the film and zipper are inspected, how used items leave, and how deviations are recorded. Facilities review should cover supply and exhaust, power, controls, alarms, automatic watering, monitoring, room heat and noise, and access for service.

Provide ConductScience with the room drawing, expected mouse population, cage-change schedule, sanitation flow, water method, barrier procedure, monitoring requirements, and delivery route. The final quote will identify the rack, cage and enclosure package, ventilation and controls, utilities, installation, commissioning, training, and supplied accessories. This keeps the added capacity tied to a workable care plan rather than a cage count alone.