High speed rotational arc sensing is an important method to detect the torch deviation during automatic seam tracking of arc welding. In the present paper, a mathematic model of high speed rotational arc sensing is analysed. Simulations have been implemented in two conditions, namely considering or without considering weld bead profile. The simulation results are consistent with the experimental results. The current waveforms at the beginning of the welding are different from those at middle of the welding because of the formation of the weld bead profile. The signal patterns for seam tracking and endpoint detection are proposed. A phase shift between the rotation and the current variation is also discovered in the experiments. The mathematical model can be helpful for the interpretation and improvement of arc sensing systems.List of symbols a a constant equal to the high temperature resistivity of the wire extension, V mm b a constant depending on the room temperature resistivity of the wire, J mm 23 d arc arc diameter, mm e(k), e(k21) error detected at time k and k21 respectively E a electric field of the arc, V mm 21 h bead leg length in horizon direction, mm H o the heat content per unit volume of droplet received at detachment, J mm 23 I welding current, A Ī left average value of the welding current of left half cycle of arc rotation, A Ī right average value of the welding current of right half cycle of arc rotation, A k proportional coefficient L a length of the arc, mm L e wire extension, mm L p inductance of the welding cable, H L s inductance of the welding power source, H A P, B P, M P, W P position of the end of the wire extension in frame A, B, M and W respectively P offset torch offset, mm r torch rotation radius, mm A B R rotation matrix describing frame B relative to frame A R a resistance of the arc, V R e resistance at wire extension, V R p resistance of the welding cable, V R s electrical resistance of the welding power source, V S cross-section area of the wire, mm 2 u(k) output of the PID controller to drive the actuator to move v bead leg length in vertical direction, mm v f wire feed rate, mm s 21 v m melting rate of wire, mm s 21 v w welding speed, mm s 21 V a arc voltage, V V a0 a constant in the welding model, V V e voltage across wire extension, V V oc internal voltage of the welding power source, V V p voltage drop of the welding cable, V V s output voltage of the welding power source, V (y o , z o ) the coordinate point of the origin of frame A with respect to frame M y a constant for wire melting phenomenon, V w rotated angle between frame B and A, u h rotation angle of the torch with respect to the frame B, u v rotating speed, Hz