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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2020-03-15 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000068709 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> MTS SYSTEMS CORP </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> MTSC </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001695596 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Harrison Steven B </rptOwnerName> |
| | | </reportingOwnerId> |
| | <reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet1> 14000 TECHNOLOGY DRIVE </rptOwnerStreet1> |
| | | <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2> |
| | | <rptOwnerCity> EDEN PRAIRIE </rptOwnerCity> |
| | | <rptOwnerState> MN </rptOwnerState> |
| | | <rptOwnerZipCode> 55344 </rptOwnerZipCode> |
| | | <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription> |
| | | </reportingOwnerAddress> |
| | <reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | | <isDirector> 0 </isDirector> |
| | | <isOfficer> 1 </isOfficer> |
| | | <isTenPercentOwner> 0 </isTenPercentOwner> |
| | | <isOther> 0 </isOther> |
| | | <officerTitle> EVP & Pres. Test & Simulation </officerTitle> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-03-15 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 1986 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 25655.8164 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | </nonDerivativeTable> |
| <derivativeTable> |
| | <derivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 46.25 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2024-04-17 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 4543 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 4543 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeHolding> |
| | <derivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 52.30 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2025-04-17 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 5040 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 5040 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeHolding> |
| | <derivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 48.80 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F4"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2025-12-05 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 4952 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 4952 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeHolding> |
| | <derivativeHolding> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 46.545 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F5"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2026-12-04 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 11302 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 11302 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeHolding> |
| | <derivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Stock Option (right to buy) </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| <value> 25.17 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-03-15 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> A </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 4521 </value> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 0 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> A </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F6"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2026-12-04 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 4521 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 4521 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeTransaction> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Includes (i) 360 restricted stock units that vest on 4/15/20; (ii) 315 restricted stock units that vest on 4/17/20; (iii) 717 restricted stock units that vest as to 359 shares on 4/17/20 and as to 358 shares on 4/17/21; (iv) 854 restricted stock units that vest as to 427 shares on each of 12/5/20 and 12/5/21; (v) 12,485 restricted stock units that vest as to 4,162 shares on each of 7/15/20 and 7/15/21 and as to 4,161 shares on 7/15/22; (vi) 2,686 restricted stock units that vest as to 896 shares on 12/4/20 and as to 895 shares on each of 12/4/21 and 12/4/22; and (vii) 1,986 restricted stock units that vest as to 662 shares on each of 12/4/20, 12/4/21 and 12/4/22. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Options to purchase 1,514 shares vest on 4/17/20. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F3"> Options to purchase 1,680 shares vest on each of 4/17/20 and 4/17/21. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F4"> Options to purchase 1,651 shares vest on 12/5/20 and options to purchase 1,650 shares vest on 12/5/21. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F5"> Options to purchase 3,768 shares vest on 12/4/20 and options to purchase 3,767 shares vest on each of 12/4/21 and 12/4/22. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F6"> Options to purchase 1,507 shares vest on each of 12/4/20, 12/4/21 and 12/4/22. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Amanda Lorentz as attorney-in-fact for Steven B. Harrison pursuant to Power of Attorney previously filed </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-03-17 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |