In　arcing-wire　GTAW　process,　the　wire　melting　speed　and　weld　penetration　are　decoupled.　To　well　study　the　arcing-wire　GTAW,　especially　the　droplet　transfer　mode,　the　forces　imposed　on　the　droplet　are　analyzed　firstly　and　compared　with　those　in　conventional　GMAW.　Then　the　experiments　have　been　carefully　designed　and　conducted.　High-speed　images　uncover　desirable　stable　droplet　transfer　mode:　touching　transfer　and　free　transfer.　In　touching　transfer,　the　droplet　formed　by　the　melted　wire　touches　and　transfers　into　the　weld　pool　but　the　wire　is　separated　from　the　weld　pool　each　time　after　the　transfer.　This　is　similar　to　short-circuiting　transfer　in　conventional　GMAW　except　for　there　is　no　short-circuiting　because　the　wire　and　work-piece　is　not　in　series　in　a　same　circuit.　Experimental　results　show　that　the　touching　transfer　produces　stable　arcs　and　spatter-free　welds.　By　analyzing　the　high-speed　images,　the　distance　from　the　initial　position　of　the　wire　to　the　weld　pool　and　the　wire　feed　speed　should　be　the　major　parameters　determining　the　transfer　period　and　the　droplet　size.　In　free　transfer,　similarly　as　in　GMAW,　when　the　droplet　grows　large　enough,　then　it　separates　from　the　wire　and　transfer　freely　into　the　weld　pool.　The　transfer　period　and　mass　for　the　detachment　both　reduce　as　the　current　or　the　wire　feed　speed　increases.　The　whole　transfer　is　smooth　and　spatter　free.　With　the　pulse　current　adding　into　the　wire,　the　droplets　can　easily　transfer　into　the　weld　pool,　the　period　is　determined　by　the　pulse　cycle.　(C)　2016　Published　by　Elsevier　Ltd　on　behalf　of　The　Society　of　Manufacturing　Engineers.