A modified electrospinning process with an auxiliary grounded electrode was developed to improve the production rate of nanofibers. The effect of the auxiliary electrode on the number of jets and the output of nanofibers was investigated. The results showed that the number of jets and the nanofiber output could be controlled by the position and diameter of the auxiliary electrode. The Finite Element Method (FEM) analysis was employed to explore the mechanism of generating multiple jets. The simulation results reveal that the auxiliary electrode greatly enhances the electric field gradient in the spinning area. This technique provides a novel route for electrospinning apparatus design and has potential for high-throughput nanofiber fabrication. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.