Consolidated Statements Of Equity - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	COMMON STOCK	TREASURY STOCK	ADDITIONAL PAID-IN CAPITAL	RETAINED EARNINGS	ACCUMULATED OTHER COMPREHENSIVE LOSS	TOTAL IPG PHOTONICS CORPORATION EQUITY	NONCONTROLLING INTERESTS (NCI)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Recently adopted accounting standards (NOTE 2)				$ 0	$ 0
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2015		$ 5	$ 0	607,649	833,356	$ (181,482)		$ 1,137
Balance, beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2015		(52,883,902)	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		82,558
Purchased treasury stock (in shares)		0	0
Purchased common stock		$ 0	$ 0
Stock-based compensation				4,959
Exercise of employee stock options and shares withheld to cover employee restricted stock taxes		0		3,548
Net income attributable to IPG Photonics Corporation	$ 49,326				49,326
Translation adjustments	28,495					28,495
Change in unrealized loss on derivatives, net of tax	0					0
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale investments, net of tax	0					0
Realized loss on available-for-sale investments, net of tax, reclassified to net income						0
Net (loss) income attributable to NCI	2							2
Other comprehensive income attributable to NCI	5							3
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2016	1,346,998	$ 5	$ 0	616,156	882,682	(152,987)	$ 1,345,856	1,142
Balance, end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2016		(52,966,460)	0
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Recently adopted accounting standards (NOTE 2)				2,078	2,145
Balance, beginning of year at Dec. 31, 2016	1,557,724	$ 5	$ (8,946)	650,974	1,094,108	(178,583)		166
Balance, beginning of year (in shares) at Dec. 31, 2016		(53,251,805)	(102,774)
Increase (Decrease) in Stockholders' Equity [Roll Forward]
Exercise of stock options (in shares)		281,840
Purchased treasury stock (in shares)		(107,700)	(107,700)
Purchased common stock		$ 0	$ (12,539)
Stock-based compensation				5,351
Exercise of employee stock options and shares withheld to cover employee restricted stock taxes		0		9,600
Net income attributable to IPG Photonics Corporation	74,945				74,945
Translation adjustments	26,699					26,675
Change in unrealized loss on derivatives, net of tax	(16)					(16)
Unrealized loss on available-for-sale investments, net of tax	298					(240)
Realized loss on available-for-sale investments, net of tax, reclassified to net income						538
Net (loss) income attributable to NCI	(13)							(13)
Other comprehensive income attributable to NCI	11							24
Balance, end of period at Mar. 31, 2017	$ 1,666,272	$ 5	$ (21,485)	$ 668,003	$ 1,171,198	$ (151,626)	$ 1,666,095	$ 177
Balance, end of period (in shares) at Mar. 31, 2017		(53,425,945)	(210,474)