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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="windows-1252"?> |
<ownershipDocument> |
| <schemaVersion> X0306 </schemaVersion> |
| <documentType> 4 </documentType> |
| <periodOfReport> 2020-04-17 </periodOfReport> |
| <issuer> |
| | <issuerCik> 0000068709 </issuerCik> |
| | <issuerName> MTS SYSTEMS CORP </issuerName> |
| | <issuerTradingSymbol> MTSC </issuerTradingSymbol> |
| | </issuer> |
| <reportingOwner> |
| | <reportingOwnerId> |
| | | <rptOwnerCik> 0001749082 </rptOwnerCik> |
| | | <rptOwnerName> Klemmensen Todd </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> SVP, GC and Corp. Sec. </officerTitle> |
| | | </reportingOwnerRelationship> |
| | </reportingOwner> |
| <nonDerivativeTable> |
| | <nonDerivativeTransaction> |
| | | <securityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </securityTitle> |
| | | <transactionDate> |
| <value> 2020-04-17 </value> |
| </transactionDate> |
| | | <transactionCoding> |
| <transactionFormType> 4 </transactionFormType> |
| <transactionCode> F </transactionCode> |
| <equitySwapInvolved> 0 </equitySwapInvolved> |
| </transactionCoding> |
| | | <transactionAmounts> |
| <transactionShares> |
| <value> 162 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F1"/> |
| </transactionShares> |
| <transactionPricePerShare> |
| <value> 18.36 </value> |
| </transactionPricePerShare> |
| <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode> |
| </transactionAmounts> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 7333 </value> |
| <footnoteId id="F2"/> |
| </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> 64.90 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2020-12-04 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 2673 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 2673 </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> 66.98 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2021-12-03 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 1072 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 1072 </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> 61.74 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2022-12-09 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 2601 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 2601 </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> 46.25 </value> |
| </conversionOrExercisePrice> |
| | | <exerciseDate> |
| <footnoteId id="F3"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2024-04-17 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 3167 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 3167 </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="F4"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2025-04-17 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 3244 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 3244 </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="F5"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2025-12-05 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 5943 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 5943 </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="F6"/> |
| </exerciseDate> |
| | | <expirationDate> |
| <value> 2026-12-04 </value> |
| </expirationDate> |
| | | <underlyingSecurity> |
| <underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <value> Common Stock </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityTitle> |
| <underlyingSecurityShares> |
| <value> 8024 </value> |
| </underlyingSecurityShares> |
| </underlyingSecurity> |
| | | <postTransactionAmounts> |
| <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| <value> 8024 </value> |
| </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction> |
| </postTransactionAmounts> |
| | | <ownershipNature> |
| <directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <value> D </value> |
| </directOrIndirectOwnership> |
| <natureOfOwnership> |
| <value></value> |
| </natureOfOwnership> |
| </ownershipNature> |
| | | </derivativeHolding> |
| | </derivativeTable> |
| <footnotes> |
| | <footnote id="F1"> Represents shares withheld for payment of tax liability. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F2"> Includes (i) 138 restricted stock units that vest on 8/15/20; (ii) 230 restricted stock units that vest on 4/17/21; (iii) 1,213 restricted stock units that vest as to 607 shares on 9/15/20 and as to 606 shares on 9/15/21; and (iv) 1,024 restricted stock units that vest as to 512 shares on each of 12/5/20 and 12/5/21. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F3"> Fully exercisable. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F4"> Options to purchase 1,081 shares vest on 4/17/21. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F5"> Options to purchase 1,981 shares vest on each of 12/5/20 and 12/5/21. </footnote> |
| | <footnote id="F6"> Options to purchase 2,675 shares vest on each of 12/4/20 and 12/4/21 and options to purchase 2,674 shares vest on 12/4/22. </footnote> |
| | </footnotes> |
| <remarks></remarks> |
| <ownerSignature> |
| | <signatureName> /s/ Amanda Lorentz as attorney-in-fact for Todd Klemmensen pursuant to Power of Attorney previously filed. </signatureName> |
| | <signatureDate> 2020-04-21 </signatureDate> |
| | </ownerSignature> |
| </ownershipDocument> |