Learn the basics of sauces from a French cooking book/course.

Make a blonde roux, for 4 pounds of cheese, add 1.5 cups of milk and 2 cups of half and half. Add in the shredded cheese saving about a pound to a pound and a half for layering. Add 4 tsp of sodium citrate. Voila you have a cheese sauce that won’t break on you that pours into the pasta easily.

I made a custard Mac and cheese last Thanks Giving and I liked it so much more than Roux style
Yea I used to use a roux, but honestly it’s not much better than melting the cheese directly into heavy cream. If price was an issue a roux would be the cheaper option.