The ABI 3700 is an automated capillary gel electrophoresis system capable of running all four sequencing reactions in a single capillary. Because it is a capillary electrophoresis instrument, there is no need to manually pour or load gels. Benchmarking shows length of reads as long as 550 base pairs with 98% accuracy, depending on template and primer quality.   
  
The 3700 is an ideal platform for sequencing PCR products less than 550 base pairs in length. It also works well for single stranded and double stranded plasmid DNA templates. Sample loading, electrophoresis, data collection, and data analysis has been automated to allow unattended operation. The 3700 is a capillary electrophoresis system that can be used to sequence up to 96 DNA templates per run by accommodating up to four 96-well sample plates. A robotic arm loads the samples onto the capillaries; and electrophoresis is completed within five hours.  
  
The ABI 3700 can run sequencing reactions based on dye-labeled terminator chemistry, three colors of microsatellites, or other fragments, and a size marker in a single lane.   
  
This instrument also utilized uncoated capillaries for higher reliability. Sheath flow technique detects labeled DNA in solution preventing signal loss and background noise caused by light scattering from capillary walls .