The　growing　tendency　of　the　abnormity　and　accident　which　caused　by　arc　fault　has　already　become　the　social　harmfulness　in　the　power　system.　With　the　extensive　use　of　electrical　equipment,　arc　fault　has　the　features　of　randomness,　which　further　increase　the　difficulty　to　recognize　arc　and　set　higher　requirement　on　the　performance　of　arc　fault　protection　switch.　In　this　paper,　a　comprehensive　test　system　is　developed　to　generate　arc　and　study　the　characteristics　of　arc　fault　on　the　basis　of　integrated　design　and　multi-threading　technique.　Then　the　effectiveness　and　credibility　of　arc　fault　simulation　devices　have　been　verified　and　the　characteristics　of　arc　fault　are　analyzed　under　different　loads.　Experiments　show　that　characteristic　of　arc　fault　are　influenced　by　the　fault　reasons　and　load　in　series.　The　system　can　meet　the　requirements　of　arc　fault　protection　switch　research,　and　can　provide　experimental　condition　and　data　support　for　the　research　of　arc　fault　detection　technique.　©　2018　IEEE.