A system for sequencing nucleic acids, that includes (a) a table having an arrangement of sites, including a site for receiving a first substrate, and a site for receiving a second substrate, the substrates each having an array for providing sequencing data for a plurality of different nucleic acids in parallel; (b) a plurality of stations configured to carry out manipulations in a sequencing procedure; and (c) a system control interface configured to direct relative movement between the table and the plurality of stations, and to direct different steps of the sequencing procedure to occur at the sites for receiving the different substrates, wherein the first substrate can be removed from the system independently of the second substrate such that the second substrate can be processed to obtain sequencing data independently of the first substrate.