At the core of the BOND system is the unique Covertile™ consumable we created. This patented technology facilitates gentle, even reagent flow over tissue samples, preventing reagent evaporation and minimizing waste generation. There were many subtleties within its design to ensure it met the requirements across the full range of fluid properties. These included viscosity and environment conditions like operating temperate and altitude, together with tight engineering tolerances down to 10µm in areas.

In developing the BOND-III, we focused on end-user interaction to incorporate a range of high-efficiency features for less user intervention. We accompanied Leica Biosystems on lab visits in the United States and the United Kingdom to collect voice of customer research and identify opportunities for innovation. As we developed the instrument, we constructed product prototypes from foam and software prototypes to assess instrument usability, which included recruiting representative users from local labs. 

We helped reduce reagent use and hazardous waste to levels lower than any other fully automated staining system. New high-capacity containers were introduced, requiring less reagent and waste management, and designed to be filled without removal from the instrument. Maintenance reduction and waste disposal costs being the positive outcomes.

A core innovation was the addition of dedicated bulk fluid robots (BFRs) to the staining platforms—one robot for each of the three platforms. These deliver fluids to 10 slides on each rack, leaving the main robot arms to deliver the primary reagents to the (maximum) 30 slides that can be on an instrument at a time. Complex control software was required to efficiently schedule each of the robot’s actions to significantly reduce protocol run times.

To ensure the robots did not interfere with instrument usability or maintenance, a unique retractable mechanism was developed. The robot can be completely retracted into the rear of the instrument, allowing easy access to the work surface for cleaning and maintenance.