<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001111928-09-000048
<TYPE>4/A
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20090303
<FILING-DATE>20090518
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20090518
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>GAPONTSEV VALENTIN P
<CIK>0001130421
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4/A
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-33155
<FILM-NUMBER>09836802
</FILING-VALUES>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>660 MAIN STREET
<CITY>STURBRIDGE
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01566
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>IPG PHOTONICS CORP
<CIK>0001111928
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3674
<IRS-NUMBER>043444218
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>50 OLD WEBSTER ROAD
<CITY>OXFORD
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01540
<PHONE>5083731100
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>50 OLD WEBSTER ROAD
<CITY>OXFORD
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01540
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4/A
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4/A</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2009-03-03</periodOfReport>

    <dateOfOriginalSubmission>2009-03-04</dateOfOriginalSubmission>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001111928</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>IPG PHOTONICS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>IPGP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001130421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GAPONTSEV VALENTIN P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O IPG PHOTONICS CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>50 OLD WEBSTER ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>OXFORD</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01540</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>CEO &amp; Chairman of the Board</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2009-03-03</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>247690</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11992599</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">This amendment is being filed to modify the transaction code to J. The original Form 4 filed on March 3, 2009 reported the transaction code as A.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Acquired pursuant to the Agreement and Plan of Reorganization, dated August 5, 2008, and approved by the Board of Directors of the Issuer. Under such Agreement, the reporting person exchanged his minority interest in NTO IRE-Polus with an estimated value of $5,169,300 for 247,690 unregistered shares of common stock of the Issuer. The closing occurred on March 3, 2009.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angelo P. Lopresti, Attorney-at-law</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2009-05-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
