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

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-10-24</periodOfReport>

    <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>2007-10-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>3000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.16</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>11746009</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-24</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>8300</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>20.20</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8129202</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Through IP Fibre Devices (UK) Ltd.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-10-25</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>11200</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.78</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F6"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>8118002</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>Through IP Fibre Devices (UK) Ltd.</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <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 August 23, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Sales ranged from $20.03 to $20.36 as follows:  100 shares at $20.03; 100 shares at $20.06; 200 shares at $20.08; 500 shares at $20.10; 100 shares at $20.11; 600 shares at $20.12; 100 shares at $20.13; 300 shares at $20.14; 100 shares at $20.16; 200 shares at $20.19; 200 shares at $20.25; 200 shares at $20.26; 200 shares at $20.32; and 100 shares at $20.36.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Sales range from $20.07 to $20.41 as follows:  200 shares at $20.07; 800 shares at $20.10; 200 shares at $20.11; 800 shares at $20.12; 400 shares at $20.13; 300 shares at $20.14; 100 shares at $20.145; 542 shares at $20.15; 200 shares at $20.16; 100 shares at $20.165; 400 shares at $20.1700; 500 shares at $20.19; 500 shares at $20.20; 38 shares at $20.21; 162 shares at $20.22; 500 shares at $20.25; 500 shares at $20.26; 50 shares at $20.28; 400 shares at $20.29; 350 shares at $20.30; 200 shares at $20.31; 500 shares at $20.32; 100 shares at $20.33; 100 shares at $20.35; 258 shares at $20.36; and 100 shares at $20.41.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The reporting person is the managing director of IP Fibre Devices (UK) Ltd. and has voting and investment power with respect to the shares held of record by IP Fibre Devices (UK) Ltd.  The reporting person disclaims beneficial ownership of these securities except to the extent of his pecuniary interest therein, and the inclusion of these shares in this report shall not be deemed an admission of the beneficial ownership of all the reported shares for purposes of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or for any other purpose.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Sales range from $19.18 to $20.32 as follows:  100 shares at $19.18; 100 shares at $19.20; 500 shares at $19.24; 100 shares at $19.25; 500 shares at $19.29; 100 shares at $19.33; 100 shares at $19.34; 200 shares at $19.35; 100 shares at $19.36; 700 shares at $19.37; 200 shares at $19.38; 300 shares at $19.42; 700 shares at $19.44; 100 shares at $19.45; 400 shares at $19.45; 200 shares at $19.46; 100 shares at $19.47; 100 shares at $19.49; 200 shares at $19.50; 100 shares at $19.52; 500 shares at $19.54; 200 shares at $19.56; 100 shares at $19.83; 100  shares at $19.90; 100 shares at $19.93; 100 shares at $19.97; 72 shares at $19.98; 28 shares at $19.99; 164 shares at $20.10; 100 shares at $20.11; 936 shares at $20.12; 211 shares at $20.13; 882 shares at $20.15; 192 shares at $20.16; 715 shares at $20.17; 100 shares at $20.18; 100 shares at $20.19; 100  shares at $20.20; 300 shares at $20.22; 142 shares at $20.23; 58 shares at $20.24; 142 shares at $20.25.  Continued Footnote 6.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">222 shares at $20.26; 236 shares at $20.27; 300 shares at $20.30; and 200 shares at $20.32.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Angelo P. Lopresti, Attorney-at-law</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-10-26</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
