<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-06-09</periodOfReport>

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

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001378668</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>BuAbbud George H</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>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-06-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>1.50</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>32100</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-06-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12100</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>18.94</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Employee Stock Option (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>1.50</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-06-09</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>12100</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2012-06-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>12100</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>127900</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan adopted by the reporting person on March 7, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Sales ranged from $18.78 to $19.29 as follows:  100 shares at $18.7800; 1,200 shares at $18.80; 874 shares at $18.81; 400 shares at $18.82; 1,600 shares at $18.84; 26 shares at $18.85; 392 shares at $18.86; 408 shares at $18.87; 941 shares at $18.90; 200 shares at $18.91; 279 shares at $18.92; 300 shares at $18.93; 521 shares at $18.94; 400 shares at $18.95; 300 shares at $18.96; 200 shares at $18.97; 659 shares at $18.99; 700 shares at $19.00; 200 shares at $19.01; 100 shares at $19.06; 500 shares at $19.08; 300 shares at $19.13; 500 shares at $19.14; 300 shares at $19.15; 100 shares at $19.16; 100 shares at $19.18; 92 shares at $19.19; 58 shares at $19.21; 50 shares at $19.25; and 300 shares at $19.29.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Mr. BuAbbud was granted options to purchase 200,000 shares. 20,000 of these options vested immediately, and the remaining vested in four equal annual installments of 50,000 shares beginning on 6/14/03.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angelo P. Lopresti, Attorney-in-fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-06-11</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
