Key Technology (KTEC) 10-Q 6 May 14 2014 Q2 Quarterly report Financial data

Document_and_Entity_Informatio

Document and Entity Information	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Apr. 30, 2014
Document and Entity Information [Abstract]	'	'
Entity Registrant Name	'KEY TECHNOLOGY INC	'
Entity Central Index Key	'0000906193	'
Current Fiscal Year End Date	'--09-30	'
Entity Filer Category	'Accelerated Filer	'
Document Type	'10-Q	'
Document Period End Date	31-Mar-14	'
Document Fiscal Year Focus	'2014	'
Document Fiscal Period Focus	'Q2	'
Amendment Flag	'false	'
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding	'	6,300,630

UNAUDITED_CONDENSED_CONSOLIDAT

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets:	'	'
Cash and cash equivalents	$13,362	$17,601
Trade accounts receivable, net of allowance for doubtful accounts of $346 and $296, respectively	13,028	17,725
Inventories:	'	'
Raw materials	9,832	10,657
Work-in-process and sub-assemblies	13,017	7,802
Finished goods	8,554	9,462
Total inventories	31,403	27,921
Deferred income taxes	4,036	5,034
Prepaid expenses and other assets	5,719	4,292
Total current assets	67,548	72,573
Property, plant and equipment, net	16,720	17,259
Deferred income taxes	1,212	760
Goodwill	11,962	11,821
Investment in Proditec	1,148	1,148
Intangibles and other assets, net	10,348	11,063
Total	108,938	114,624
Current liabilities:	'	'
Accounts payable	6,111	6,669
Accrued payroll liabilities and commissions	6,688	9,440
Customers' deposits	7,852	6,048
Accrued customer support and warranty costs	2,736	3,301
Customer purchase plans	2,014	1,731
Income taxes payable	2	430
Current portion of long-term debt	828	871
Other accrued liabilities	1,621	1,745
Total current liabilities	27,852	30,235
Long-term debt	5,230	5,612
Deferred income taxes	4,843	5,226
Other long-term liabilities	386	426
Shareholders' equity:	'	'
Common stock	30,629	30,086
Warrants	665	665
Retained earnings and other shareholders' equity	39,333	42,374
Total shareholders' equity	70,627	73,125
Total	$108,938	$114,624

UNAUDITED_CONDENSED_CONSOLIDAT1

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Parenthetical) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Current assets	'	'
Trade accounts receivable, allowance for doubtful accounts	$346	$296

UNAUDITED_CONDENSED_CONSOLIDAT2

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]	'	'	'
Net sales	$31,598	$35,486	$55,339
Cost of sales	21,334	22,673	36,043
Gross profit	10,264	12,813	19,296
Operating expenses:	'	'	'
Sales and marketing	4,650	4,740	8,596
Research and development	3,142	2,296	4,033
General and administrative	2,992	2,836	4,965
Amortization of intangibles	439	148	152
Total operating expenses	11,223	10,020	17,746
Gain (loss) on disposition of assets	-6	29	50
Earnings (loss) from operations	-965	2,822	1,600
Other income (expense)	-93	10	-53
Earnings (loss) before income taxes	-1,058	2,832	1,547
Income tax expense (benefit)	-361	686	275
Net earnings (loss)	($697)	$2,146	$1,272
Net earnings (loss) per share	'	'	'
- basic (in dollars per share)	($0.11)	$0.38	$0.23
- diluted (in dollars per share)	($0.11)	$0.38	$0.23
Shares used in per share calculations - basic (in shares)	6,298	5,687	5,493
Shares used in per share calculations - diluted (in shares)	6,298	5,692	5,498

Consolidated_statements_of_com

Consolidated statements of comprehensive income (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Statement of Comprehensive Income [Abstract]	'	'	'	'
Net earnings (loss)	($697)	$2,146	($3,302)	$1,272
Other comprehensive income (loss):	'	'	'	'
Foreign currency translation adjustment	-21	-536	352	-481
Unrealized changes in fair value of derivatives	-17	55	44	84
Income tax (expense) benefit related to items of comprehensive income (loss)	13	163	-134	135
Total comprehensive income (loss)	($722)	$1,828	($3,040)	$1,010

UNAUDITED_CONDENSED_CONSOLIDAT3

UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (USD $)	6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
CASH FLOWS FROM OPERATING ACTIVITIES:	'	'
Net earnings (loss)	($3,302)	$1,272
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:	'	'
Gain on disposition of assets	0	-50
Foreign currency exchange (gain) loss	22	-9
Depreciation and amortization	2,703	2,162
Share based payments	734	549
Excess tax benefits from share based payments	-20	-20
Deferred income taxes	-13	-1,103
Deferred rent	7	-12
Bad debt expense	47	-5
Changes in assets and liabilities:	'	'
Trade accounts receivable	4,687	-2,997
Inventories	-3,322	-4,232
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	268	236
Income taxes receivable	-1,680	280
Intangibles and other long term assets	0	-135
Accounts payable	-579	472
Accrued payroll liabilities and commissions	-2,797	1,814
Customersb deposits	1,752	9,461
Accrued customer support and warranty costs	-582	383
Income taxes payable	-436	1,101
Other accrued liabilities	157	-34
Other	-3	3
Cash provided by (used in) operating activities	-2,357	9,136
CASH FLOWS FROM INVESTING ACTIVITIES:	'	'
Proceeds from sale of property	17	67
Purchases of property, plant and equipment	-1,288	-1,462
Cash paid for the acquisition of Visys N.V., net of cash acquired	0	-11,607
Cash used in investing activities	-1,271	-13,002
CASH FLOWS FROM FINANCING ACTIVITIES:	'	'
Payments on long-term debt	-448	-222
Excess tax benefits from share based payments	20	20
Proceeds from issuance of common stock	34	63
Issuance costs of stock and warrants	0	-188
Exchange of shares for statutory withholding	-227	-216
Stock buyback	0	-30
Cash used in financing activities	-621	-573
EFFECT OF EXCHANGE RATE CHANGES ON CASH	10	-71
NET DECREASE IN CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS	-4,239	-4,510
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD	17,601	23,755
CASH AND CASH EQUIVALENTS, END OF THE PERIOD	13,362	19,245
SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOW	'	'
Cash paid during the period for interest	133	128
Cash paid during the period for income taxes	428	21
Common stock issued for acquisition	0	7,326
Warrants issued for acquisition	$0	$728

Recovered_Sheet1

Unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Unaudited Condensed consolidated financial statements [Abstract]	'
Unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements	'
	Unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
	Certain information and note disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) have been omitted from these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.  These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the financial statements and notes thereto included in the Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2013.  The results of operations for the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2014 are not necessarily indicative of the operating results for the full year.
	The preparation of financial statements in conformity with GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates and assumptions.
	In the opinion of management, all adjustments, consisting only of normal recurring accruals, have been made to present fairly the Company's financial position at March 31, 2014 and the results of its operations and its cash flows for the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2014 and 2013.

Business_acquisition

Business acquisition	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]	'
Acquisition	'
	Acquisition
	Effective February 28, 2013, the Company acquired all the outstanding stock of Visys N.V., a privately-held Belgian company. Accordingly, the results of operations for Visys N.V. have been included in the accompanying consolidated financial statements from that date forward. The acquisition was made for the purpose of acquiring and developing next-generation technologies and expanding our product offerings consistent with our strategic growth initiatives.
	Fair Value of Consideration - Consideration for the acquisition consisted of the following (at fair value):
		Amount
		(in thousands)
	Cash	$	13,200
	Common shares of the company issued (600,000 shares)	7,326
	Warrants issued (250,000)	728
	Total	$	21,254
	Fair value of the Company's common shares issued was determined on the basis of the closing market price on the date of the closing of the acquisition. The fair value of the warrants was determined with a Black-Scholes valuation model using the current stock price at the acquisition date, time until expiration, a 34% volatility rate and a 0.36% risk-free interest rate. The warrants may be exercised within three years after the date of issue at a price per share of $11.78 as stated in the agreement. One-half of the warrants may be exercised following the first anniversary of the closing date and the other half following the second anniversary of the closing date. The warrants may be exercised for cash or on a cashless basis. No warrants were exercised as of March 31, 2014.
	The following table summarizes the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date:
		Amount
		(in thousands)
	Cash	$	1,593
	Accounts receivable	668
	Inventory	8,250
	Property and equipment	299
	Other assets	848
	Intangible assets (identifiable)	11,400
	Current liabilities, including current portion of long term debt	(5,609		)
	Long term debt	(1,372		)
	Deferred taxes	(3,794		)
	Total identifiable net assets	12,283
	Goodwill	8,971
		$	21,254
	Goodwill - Goodwill in the amount of $9.0 million was recognized in the acquisition of Visys N.V. and is attributable to the benefits expected to arise after the acquisition, including additional distribution and market penetration, which can be leveraged from the combined product portfolios. None of the total amount of goodwill recognized is expected to be deductible for income tax purposes.
	The fair value of accounts receivable acquired was $668,000. The fair value of the $1.9 million of debt assumed in the acquisition approximates its carrying value.
	The fair value of inventory acquired included an increase of $1.8 million related to the fair value adjustment of the acquisition date inventory.
	Identified intangible assets acquired included:
		Amount			Average Life
		(in thousands)			(Years)
	Developed technology	$	5,000		8
	Patents	3,300			16
	Non-compete agreements	1,600			3
	Trade name	1,000			8
	Customer relationships	500			4
		$	11,400
	The identifiable intangible assets of $11.4 million are subject to a weighted-average useful life of approximately 9.4 years.
	Pro forma Information - The following consolidated pro forma information is based on the assumption that the acquisition occurred on October 1, 2012 (in thousands except per share data):
		Three Months Ended			Six Months Ended
		March 31,			March 31,
		2013			2013
	Net sales	$	37,609		$	60,105
	Net earnings	$	2,619		$	1,411
	Pro forma net earnings per share	$	0.43		$	0.24
	Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding	6,079			5,995
	Pro forma net income was adjusted to exclude $552,000 and $785,000 of acquisition-related costs incurred in the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2013, respectively, and $67,000 of non-recurring expenses related to the fair value adjustment of acquired inventory for the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2013.
	Acquisition-Related Costs - In fiscal 2013, costs related to the acquisition, which included legal, accounting and valuation fees, in the amount of $785,000 were charged directly to operations and are included in Operating expenses as General and Administrative expenses in the 2013 consolidated income statement. The Company also recognized $188,000 in costs associated with issuing the common stock and warrants issued as consideration in the acquisition. Those costs were deducted from the recognized proceeds of issuance within stockholders' equity.
	Litigation - The acquired company was subject to litigation proceedings in Belgium and the Netherlands for alleged patent infringement and unfair competition claims seeking damages for lost profits, procedural costs and other damages. The cumulative amount of claims was in excess of €12.75 million. (See Footnote 10 for a subsequent event related to the litigation).

Sharebased_compensation

Share-based compensation	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]	'
Share-based compensation	'
	Share-based compensation
	During the six months ended March 31, 2014, the Company granted 95,522 shares of service-based stock awards.  The fair value of these grants ranged between $12.02 and $14.33 per share based on the fair market value at the grant date.  The restrictions on these shares lapse at the end of the required service periods ranging from August 2014 through March 2017. During the six months ended March 31, 2014, the Company also granted 75,013 shares of performance-based stock awards. The fair value of these grants was $13.80 per share based on the fair market value at the grant date. The restrictions on the shares of these grants lapse upon achievement of performance-based objectives for the three-year period ending September 30, 2016 and continued employment through September 30, 2016. The Company estimates that it is less than probable that the performance-based objectives on any of the performance-based awards granted in fiscal 2014 will be achieved and, therefore, has not recorded any share-based compensation expense in fiscal 2014 related to these awards.
	Share-based compensation expense included in the Company's results was as follows (in thousands):
		Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Cost of goods sold	$	54	$	28	$	98	$	84
	Operating expenses	291		241		636		465
	Total share-based compensation expense	$	345	$	269	$	734	$	549
	Share-based compensation expense remaining capitalized in inventory at March 31, 2014 and 2013 was $10,000 and $15,000, respectively.

Earnings_loss_per_share

Earnings (loss) per share	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Earnings (loss) per share	'
	Earnings (loss) per share
	The calculation of the basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share (“EPS”) is as follows (in thousands, except per-share data):
		Three Months Ended									Three Months Ended
		March 31, 2014									March 31, 2013
		Earnings				Shares		Per-Share			Earnings		Shares	Per-Share
								Amount						Amount
	Basic EPS:
	Net earnings (loss)	$	(697	)		6,298		$	(0.11	)	$	2,146	5,687	$	0.38
	Effect of dilutive securities:
	Common stock options	—				—					—		4
	Warrants	—				—					—		1
	Diluted EPS:
	Net earnings (loss) plus assumed conversions	$	(697	)		6,298		$	(0.11	)	$	2,146	5,692	$	0.38
		Six Months Ended									Six Months Ended
		March 31, 2014									March 31, 2013
		Earnings				Shares		Per-Share			Earnings		Shares	Per-Share
								Amount						Amount
	Basic EPS:
	Net earnings (loss)	$	(3,302	)		6,287		$	(0.53	)	$	1,272	5,493	$	0.23
	Effect of dilutive securities:
	Common stock options	—				—					—		5
	Warrants	—				—					—		—
	Diluted EPS:
	Net earnings (loss) plus assumed conversions	$	(3,302	)		6,287		$	(0.53	)	$	1,272	5,498	$	0.23
	The weighted-average number of diluted shares does not include the potential issuance of common shares which are anti-dilutive.  Common stock equivalent shares for the assumed exercise of warrants are calculated using the treasury stock method. The following potentially issuable common shares at March 31, 2014 and 2013 were not included in the calculation of diluted EPS as they were anti-dilutive:
		Three months ended					Six months ended
		March 31,					March 31,
		2014			2013		2014			2013
	Common shares from:
	Assumed exercise of stock options	15,000			10,000		15,000			15,000
	Warrants	250,000			—		250,000			250,000
	The options expire on dates beginning in August 2014 through February 2015.  The warrants expire in March 2016.

Income_taxes

Income taxes	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Income Tax Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Income taxes	'
	Income taxes
	The provision (benefit) for income taxes is based on the estimated effective income tax rate for the year.  Changes in the estimated effective income tax rate are accounted for in the period the change in estimate occurs.  Subsequent to the end of the first quarter of fiscal 2013, the American Taxpayer Relief Act was enacted which renewed the research and development tax credit for a two-year period retroactive to January 1, 2012. In the second quarter of fiscal 2013, income tax expense was reduced by approximately $192,000 for additional research and development tax credits related to expenditures incurred during fiscal 2012 due to changes in tax law that were enacted during the quarter to retroactively renew these tax credits. In addition, the income tax expense for the three-month period ended March 31, 2013 was reduced by estimated research and development tax credits for the six-month period then ended to reflect the retroactive renewals. The research and development tax credit expired December 31, 2013 and, as of the date of this report, has not been renewed.

Derivative_instruments

Derivative instruments	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Derivative Instruments and Hedging Activities Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Derivative instruments	'
	Derivative instruments
	The Company uses derivative instruments as risk management tools but does not use derivative instruments for trading or speculative purposes.  Derivatives used for interest rate swap hedging purposes are designated and effective as a cash flow hedge of the identified risk exposure related to the Company's variable rate mortgage at the inception of the contract.  A hedge is deemed effective if changes in the fair value of the derivative contract are highly correlated with changes in the underlying hedged item at inception of the hedge and over the life of the hedge contract.  To the extent the interest rate swap is effective, changes in fair value will be recognized in Other Comprehensive Income over the term of the derivative contract.  To the extent the interest rate swap is not effective, changes in fair value will be recognized in earnings.
	At March 31, 2014, the Company had an interest rate swap with a notional amount of $4.6 million that effectively fixes the interest rate on its LIBOR-based variable rate mortgage at 4.27%.  At March 31, 2014, the fair value of the swap agreement recorded as a liability in Other long-term liabilities on the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet was $203,000.  There were no gains or losses recognized as part of net earnings in the Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations related to the swap agreement during the six months ended March 31, 2014, as the interest rate swap was highly effective as a cash flow hedge.  Consequently, changes in the fair value of the interest rate swap of $(17,000) and $44,000 during the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2014 were recorded as part of Other Comprehensive Income in the Company's Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income.  During the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2014, the Company recorded $31,000 and $65,000 as interest expense related to the interest rate swap reflecting actual interest payments and settlements on the interest rate swap.  The interest rate swap matures in January 2024.
	At March 31, 2014, the Company had a one-month undesignated forward exchange contract for €4.0 million ($5.5 million).  Forward exchange contracts are used to manage the Company's foreign currency exchange risk related to its ongoing operations.  Net foreign currency losses of $11,000 and $22,000 were recorded for forward exchange contracts in the three- and six-month periods ended March 31, 2014 as a component of foreign currency losses in Other income (expense) on the Company's Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.  The losses on the Company's foreign exchange contracts are generally offset by gains recorded on the underlying assets or liabilities held in foreign currencies.  At March 31, 2014, the Company had assets of $22,000 for settlements under these forward contracts in Other Current Assets on the Company's Unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheet.  At September 30, 2013, the Company had liabilities of $46,000 for forward contracts in Other Accrued Liabilities on the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet.

Fair_value_measurements

Fair value measurements	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Fair value measurements	'
	Fair value measurements
	Fair value measurements are classified under the following hierarchy:
	•	Level 1 – Quoted prices for identical instruments in active markets.
	•	Level 2 – Quoted prices for similar instruments in active markets; quoted prices for identical or similar instruments in markets that are not active; and model-derived valuations in which all significant inputs or significant value-drivers are observable in active markets.
	•	Level 3 – Model-derived valuations in which one or more significant inputs or significant value-drivers are unobservable.
	When available, the Company uses quoted market prices to determine fair value and classify such measurements within Level 1.  In some cases where market prices are not available, the Company makes use of observable market-based inputs to calculate fair value, in which case the measurements are classified within Level 2.  If quoted or observable market processes are not available, fair value is based upon internally developed models that use, where possible, current market-based parameters such as interest rates, yield curves and currency rates.  These measurements are classified within Level 3.
	Derivative financial instruments
	Interest rate swap agreements are measured on a recurring basis based on quoted prices for similar financial instruments and other observable inputs which approximate fair value.  The fair value of foreign currency forward contracts is based on the differential between contract price and the market-based forward rate.
	The following table presents the Company's assets and liabilities that are measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis consistent with the fair value hierarchy provisions:
			Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2014
			(in thousands)
	Description		Level 1	Level 2			Level 3	Total Assets/
								Liabilities at
								Fair Value
	Derivatives:
	Interest rate swap		—	$	(203	)	—	$	(203	)
	Forward exchange contracts		—	—			—	—
	At March 31, 2014, the Company also had long-term debt of approximately $6.1 million.  The Company's long-term debt is recorded at historical cost and the Company has not elected to value such financial instruments at fair value.  The fair value of the debt approximated its carrying value based on the borrowing rates currently available to the Company for loans with similar terms and maturities.
	Fair value estimates are made at a specific point in time based on relevant market information and information about the financial instrument.  These estimates are subjective in nature and involve uncertainties and matters of significant judgment and, therefore, cannot be determined with precision.  Forward exchange contracts had a fair value of zero at the reporting date, as these contracts were entered into as of that date.  Changes in assumptions could significantly affect these estimates.
	At March 31, 2014, the Company's non-controlling interest in Proditec SAS had a carrying value of approximately $1.1 million. This investment is being accounted for under the cost method.  The fair value of the Company's investment in Proditec was not estimated as there were no events or changes in circumstances that may have had a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment, and our management determined that it was not practicable to estimate the fair value of the investment.  Further, there are not quoted market prices for the Company's investment, and sufficient information is not readily available for the Company to utilize a valuation model to determine its fair value without incurring excessive costs relative to the materiality of the investment.  The Company's cost method investment is evaluated for potential other-than-temporary impairment on at least a quarterly basis or when an event or change in circumstances has occurred that may have a significant adverse effect on the fair value of the investment.

Financing_arrangements

Financing arrangements	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Debt Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Financing arrangements	'
	Financing arrangements
	The Company's domestic credit facility provides a revolving line of credit to the Company in the maximum principal amount of $15,000,000 and a credit sub-facility of up to $6,000,000 for standby letters of credit, of which, up to €3.0 million ($4.1 million) is available to our Netherlands subsidiary.  The revolving line of credit matures on September 30, 2014.  The credit facility bears interest, at the Company's option, at either the bank’s prime rate or the British Bankers Association LIBOR Rate (“BBA LIBOR”) using a tiered structure depending upon the Company's achievement of a specified financial ratio.  The Company's prime rate option will be either the bank’s prime rate or prime less 0.25% per annum.  The Company's BBA LIBOR option will be either BBA LIBOR plus 1.75% or 1.50% per annum.  At March 31, 2014, the interest rate would have been 1.65% based on the lowest of the available alternative rates.  The revolving line of credit is secured by all U.S. accounts receivable, inventory, equipment, and fixtures.  At March 31, 2014, the Company had no borrowings outstanding under the revolving line of credit and $1,049,000 in standby letters of credit.
	The loan agreement also provides for a 15-year term loan in the amount of $6.4 million of which $4.6 million was outstanding as of March 31, 2014.  The term loan provides for a mortgage on the Company's Avery Street headquarters’ land and building located in Walla Walla, Washington.  The term loan bears interest at the BBA LIBOR rate plus 1.40% and matures on January 2, 2024.  The Company also simultaneously entered into an interest rate swap agreement with the lender to fix the interest rate at 4.27%.
	The credit facility contains covenants which require operating within a funded debt to EBITDA ratio, a fixed charge coverage ratio and minimum working capital levels.  The loan agreement permits capital expenditures up to a certain level, and contains customary default and acceleration provisions.  The credit facility also restricts acquisitions, incurrence of additional indebtedness and lease expenditures above certain levels without the prior consent of the lender. On February 12, 2013, the relevant loan agreement covenant was amended to permit the acquisition of Visys N.V.  At March 31, 2014, the Company was in compliance with its loan covenants.
	The Company's Belgian subsidiary's credit accommodation with a commercial bank in Belgium provides a credit facility for Visys N.V. This credit accommodation totals €2.7 million ($3.7 million) and includes an operating line of €800,000 ($1.1 million), a bank guarantee facility of €500,000 ($687,000), and loan agreement provisions of €1.4 million ($1.9 million). The operating line and bank guarantee facility are secured by all of the subsidiary's current assets.The Belgian operating line bears interest at the bank's prime rate, plus 1.25%. At March 31, 2014, the interest rate was 9.75%. At March 31, 2014, the subsidiary had no borrowings under the operating line. At March 31, 2014, the subsidiary had various loans outstanding under the loan agreement provision totaling €0.9 million ($1.3 million). The fixed interest rates on these loans ranged from 2.91% to 3.98%. The loans mature between November, 2016 and November, 2107. The credit accommodation contains a covenant which requires the maintenance of a minimum tangible net worth and debt to EBITDA ratio levels at the subsidiary measured at the end of it's statutory fiscal year. At the last measurement date, the subsidiary was not in compliance with the bank covenants. The Company has received a waiver from the bank until September 30, 2014, the next measurement date. The Company does not expect such non-compliance to have any material effect on its operations. At March 31, 2014, the subsidiary had €19,000 ($26,000) of bank guarantees outstanding under the bank guarantee facility. Additionally, the subsidiary had a subordinated loan with another European lender of €117,000 ($160,000). The loan has a fixed interest rate of 4.99% and matures in March 2016.

Contractual_guarantees_and_ind

Contractual guarantees and indemnities	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Guarantees [Abstract]	'
Contractual guarantees and indemnities	'
	Contractual guarantees and indemnities
	Product warranties
	The Company provides a warranty on its products ranging from ninety days to five years following the date of shipment, the majority of which are for periods of one year or less.  Management establishes allowances for warranty costs based upon the types of products shipped and product warranty experience.  The provision for warranty costs is charged to cost of sales at the time of sale, and it is periodically assessed for adequacy based on changes in these factors.
	A reconciliation of the changes in the Company’s allowances for warranties for the six months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in thousands):
		Six Months Ended March 31,
		2014			2013
	Beginning balance	$	2,736		$	2,030
	Warranty costs incurred	(1,652		)	(1,561		)
	Warranty expense accrued	1,222			1,809
	Translation adjustments	12			(6		)
	Acquired balance	—			107
	Ending balance	$	2,318		$	2,379
	Intellectual property and general contractual indemnities
	The Company, in the normal course of business, provides specific, limited indemnification to its customers for liability and damages related to intellectual property rights.  In addition, the Company may enter into contracts with customers where it agrees to indemnify the customer for personal injury or property damage caused by the Company's products and services. Indemnification is typically limited to replacement of the items or the actual price of the products and services.  The Company maintains product liability insurance as well as errors and omissions insurance, which may provide a source of recovery in the event of an indemnification claim, but does not maintain insurance coverage for claims related to intellectual property rights.
	Historically, any amounts payable under these indemnifications have not had a material effect on the Company's business, financial condition, results of operations, or cash flows. The Company has not recorded any provision for future obligations under these indemnifications.  If the Company determines it is probable that a loss has occurred under these indemnifications, then any such reasonably estimable loss would be recognized.
	Director and officer indemnities
	The Company has entered into indemnification agreements with its directors and certain executive officers which require the Company to indemnify such individuals against certain expenses, judgments and fines in third-party and derivative proceedings.  The Company may recover, under certain circumstances, some of the expenses and liabilities that arise in connection with such indemnifications under the terms of its directors’ and officers’ insurance policies.  The Company has not recorded any provision for future obligations under these indemnification agreements.
	Bank guarantees and letters of credit
	At March 31, 2014, the Company had standby letters of credit totaling $1.1 million, which includes secured bank guarantees under the Company's domestic and European credit facilities. If the Company fails to meet its contractual obligations, these bank guarantees and letters of credit may become liabilities of the Company.  This amount consists of approximately $1,049,000 of outstanding performance guarantees secured by bank guarantees under the Company's domestic credit facility and $26,000 of outstanding performance guarantees secured by bank guarantees under the Company's Belgian subsidiary's credit facility.  Bank guarantees arise when the Company collects customer deposits prior to order fulfillment.  The customer deposits received are recorded as current liabilities on the Company's balance sheet.  The bank guarantees repayment of the customer deposit in the event an order is not completed.  The bank guarantee is canceled upon shipment and transfer of title.  These bank guarantees arise in the normal course of the Company's business and are not deemed to expose the Company to any significant risks since they are satisfied as part of the design and manufacturing process.

Contingencies_and_Commitments_

Contingencies and Commitments (Notes)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Commitments and Contingencies Disclosure [Abstract]	'
Contingencies and commitments	'
	Contingencies and commitments
	On January 27, 2006, Belgian Electronics Sorting Technologies N.V. ("BEST") filed a complaint in the Court of First Instance in Antwerp, Belgium against our subsidiary Visys N.V., acquired on February 28, 2013, alleging infringement of BEST's patent on a sorting apparatus with a laser detection system. BEST seeks injunctive relief, and damages and costs aggregating approximately €12,750,000. Visys N.V. has introduced certain counterclaims and commenced related proceedings in the Netherlands alleging the invalidity of the principal patent in question. In October 2012, the invalidity claim was partially granted by the Dutch court. Oral argument was held in the Belgian proceedings on February 26, 2014, with a decision expected later in 2014.
	In addition, on August 17, 2007, BEST started entitlement proceedings in the Court of First Instance in Antwerp related to two patents of Visys N.V. which Visys N.V. does not currently use. This case was argued before the Court of Appeals of Antwerp on April 7, 2014. A decision is expected later in 2014. On June 29, 2011, BEST commenced nearly identical entitlement proceedings in the Commercial Court of Antwerp regarding a U.S. patent of Visys N.V. that is part of the same patent family as is at issue in the entitlement proceeding set for trial in the Court of Appeals. The judge in the Commercial Court has stayed these proceedings until the decision of the Court of Appeals.
	Lastly, on April 30, 2008, BEST initiated proceedings against Visys N.V. for trademark infringement and unfair competition, which proceedings have been dismissed by the Court of Appeal of Antwerp. The Belgian Supreme Court confirmed this decision, except for two claims related to unfair trade practices concerning use of meta tags and a domain name. These issues were appealed and argued before the European Court of Justice in January 2013. The European Court of Justice decided the two technical legal issues before it in July 2013 and remanded the case back to the Belgian Supreme Court for further proceedings.
	Subsequent to the end of the quarter, on April 29, 2014, the Company and Visys N.V. entered into a Settlement Agreement with Tomra Systems ASA and Tomra Sorting N.V. (formerly BEST N.V.) resolving all litigation related to alleged infringement of intellectual property rights owned by Tomra Sorting N.V. and Visys N.V., including all patent claims, trademark claims, counterclaims, invalidity proceedings, patent entitlement proceedings, and unfair competition claims. Under the Settlement Agreement, the parties settled all such disputes and waived all future rights of action related to the subject matter of the pending proceedings, which will be withdrawn from the relevant court dockets. In addition, the Company has recorded an additional accrual related to the settlement of approximately $550,000 before a tax benefit of approximately $187,000, which expense and benefit have been recognized in the quarter ended March 31, 2014.

Acquisition_Tables

Acquisition (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Business Combinations [Abstract]	'
Schedule of Consideration for Acquisition	'
	Fair Value of Consideration - Consideration for the acquisition consisted of the following (at fair value):
		Amount
		(in thousands)
	Cash	$	13,200
	Common shares of the company issued (600,000 shares)	7,326
	Warrants issued (250,000)	728
	Total	$	21,254
Schedule of Recognized Identified Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed	'
	The following table summarizes the estimated fair values of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed at the acquisition date:
		Amount
		(in thousands)
	Cash	$	1,593
	Accounts receivable	668
	Inventory	8,250
	Property and equipment	299
	Other assets	848
	Intangible assets (identifiable)	11,400
	Current liabilities, including current portion of long term debt	(5,609		)
	Long term debt	(1,372		)
	Deferred taxes	(3,794		)
	Total identifiable net assets	12,283
	Goodwill	8,971
		$	21,254
Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets Acquired as Part of Business Combination	'
	Identified intangible assets acquired included:
		Amount			Average Life
		(in thousands)			(Years)
	Developed technology	$	5,000		8
	Patents	3,300			16
	Non-compete agreements	1,600			3
	Trade name	1,000			8
	Customer relationships	500			4
		$	11,400
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information	'
	The following consolidated pro forma information is based on the assumption that the acquisition occurred on October 1, 2012 (in thousands except per share data):
		Three Months Ended			Six Months Ended
		March 31,			March 31,
		2013			2013
	Net sales	$	37,609		$	60,105
	Net earnings	$	2,619		$	1,411
	Pro forma net earnings per share	$	0.43		$	0.24
	Pro forma weighted average shares outstanding	6,079			5,995

Sharebased_compensation_Tables

Share-based compensation (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Disclosure of Compensation Related Costs, Share-based Payments [Abstract]	'
Share-based compensation expense included in the Company's results	'
	Share-based compensation expense included in the Company's results was as follows (in thousands):
		Three Months Ended				Six Months Ended
		March 31,				March 31,
		2014		2013		2014		2013
	Cost of goods sold	$	54	$	28	$	98	$	84
	Operating expenses	291		241		636		465
	Total share-based compensation expense	$	345	$	269	$	734	$	549

Earnings_loss_per_share_Tables

Earnings (loss) per share (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Earnings Per Share [Abstract]	'
Schedule of earnings per share, basic and diluted	'
	The calculation of the basic and diluted earnings (loss) per share (“EPS”) is as follows (in thousands, except per-share data):
		Three Months Ended									Three Months Ended
		March 31, 2014									March 31, 2013
		Earnings				Shares		Per-Share			Earnings		Shares	Per-Share
								Amount						Amount
	Basic EPS:
	Net earnings (loss)	$	(697	)		6,298		$	(0.11	)	$	2,146	5,687	$	0.38
	Effect of dilutive securities:
	Common stock options	—				—					—		4
	Warrants	—				—					—		1
	Diluted EPS:
	Net earnings (loss) plus assumed conversions	$	(697	)		6,298		$	(0.11	)	$	2,146	5,692	$	0.38
		Six Months Ended									Six Months Ended
		March 31, 2014									March 31, 2013
		Earnings				Shares		Per-Share			Earnings		Shares	Per-Share
								Amount						Amount
	Basic EPS:
	Net earnings (loss)	$	(3,302	)		6,287		$	(0.53	)	$	1,272	5,493	$	0.23
	Effect of dilutive securities:
	Common stock options	—				—					—		5
	Warrants	—				—					—		—
	Diluted EPS:
	Net earnings (loss) plus assumed conversions	$	(3,302	)		6,287		$	(0.53	)	$	1,272	5,498	$	0.23
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share	'
	The following potentially issuable common shares at March 31, 2014 and 2013 were not included in the calculation of diluted EPS as they were anti-dilutive:
		Three months ended					Six months ended
		March 31,					March 31,
		2014			2013		2014			2013
	Common shares from:
	Assumed exercise of stock options	15,000			10,000		15,000			15,000
	Warrants	250,000			—		250,000			250,000

Fair_value_measurements_Tables

Fair value measurements (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value Disclosures [Abstract]	'
Company's assets and liabilities measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis	'
	The following table presents the Company's assets and liabilities that are measured and recorded at fair value on a recurring basis consistent with the fair value hierarchy provisions:
		Fair Value Measurements at March 31, 2014
		(in thousands)
	Description	Level 1	Level 2			Level 3	Total Assets/
							Liabilities at
							Fair Value
	Derivatives:
	Interest rate swap	—	$	(203	)	—	$	(203	)
	Forward exchange contracts	—	—			—	—

Contractual_guarantees_and_ind1

Contractual guarantees and indemnities (Tables)	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014
Guarantees [Abstract]	'
Reconciliation of changes in Company's allowances for warranties	'
	A reconciliation of the changes in the Company’s allowances for warranties for the six months ended March 31, 2014 and 2013 is as follows (in thousands):
		Six Months Ended March 31,
		2014			2013
	Beginning balance	$	2,736		$	2,030
	Warranty costs incurred	(1,652		)	(1,561		)
	Warranty expense accrued	1,222			1,809
	Translation adjustments	12			(6		)
	Acquired balance	—			107
	Ending balance	$	2,318		$	2,379

Acquisition_Fair_Value_of_Cons

Acquisition (Fair Value of Consideration) (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013
			Visys N.V. [Member]	Visys N.V. [Member]	Visys N.V. [Member]
				Common Stock [Member]	Warrant [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'
Cash	$0	$11,607	$13,200	'	'
Common shares of the company issued (600,000 shares)	'	'	7,326	'	'
Warrants issued (250,000)	'	'	728	'	'
Total	'	'	$21,254	'	'
Shares issued	'	'	'	600,000	250,000
Expected volatility rate	'	'	34.00%	'	'
Risk free interest rate	'	'	0.36%	'	'
Exercise price of warrants	'	'	11.78	'	'

Acquisition_Fair_Value_of_Asse

Acquisition (Fair Value of Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed) (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Feb. 28, 2013
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified			Visys N.V. [Member]
Business Acquisition [Line Items]	'	'	'
Cash	'	'	$1,593
Accounts receivable	'	'	668
Inventory	'	'	8,250
Property and equipment	'	'	299
Other assets	'	'	848
Intangible assets (identifiable)	'	'	11,400
Current liabilities, including current portion of long term debt	'	'	-5,609
Long term debt	'	'	-1,372
Deferred taxes	'	'	-3,794
Total identifiable net assets	'	'	12,283
Goodwill	11,962	11,821	8,971
Total	'	'	$21,254

Acquisition_Textual_Details

Acquisition (Textual) (Details) (Visys N.V. [Member])

0 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

6 Months Ended

12 Months Ended

0 Months Ended

3 Months Ended

6 Months Ended

Feb. 28, 2013

Mar. 31, 2013

Mar. 31, 2013

Sep. 30, 2013

Mar. 31, 2014

Feb. 28, 2013

Feb. 28, 2013

Feb. 28, 2013

Feb. 28, 2013

Feb. 28, 2013

Feb. 28, 2013

Mar. 31, 2013

Mar. 31, 2013

Jan. 27, 2006

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

Developed Technology [Member]

Patents [Member]

Noncompete Agreements [Member]

Trade Names [Member]

Customer Relationships [Member]

Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory [Member]

Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory [Member]

Fair Value Adjustment to Inventory [Member]

Belgian Electronics Sorting Technologies NV vs Visys [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

Business Acquisition [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Goodwill acquired during period

$9,000,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Acquired receivables, fair value

668,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Debt assumed

1,900,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Inventory acquired

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

1,800,000

'

'

'

Intangible assets (identifiable)

11,400,000

'

'

'

'

5,000,000

3,300,000

1,600,000

1,000,000

500,000

'

'

'

'

Average life

'9 years 5 months

'

'

'

'

'8 years

'16 years

'3 years

'8 years

'4 years

'

'

'

'

Acquisition related costs

'

552,000

785,000

785,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

67,000

67,000

'

Acquisition costs associated with issuance of common stock and warrants

'

'

'

'

188,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Cumulative amount of claims in excess

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

€ 12,750,000

Business_acquisition_Acquisiti

Business acquisition Acquisition (Pro Forma) (Details) (Visys N.V. [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013
Visys N.V. [Member]	'	'
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Information, Nonrecurring Adjustment [Line Items]	'	'
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Revenue	$37,609	$60,105
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Net Income (Loss)	$2,619	$1,411
Business Acquisition, Pro Forma Earnings Per Share, Basic	$0.43	$0.24
Weighted Average Basic Shares Outstanding, Pro Forma	6,079	5,995

Sharebased_compensation_Detail

Share-based compensation (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total share-based compensation expense	$345	$269	$734	$549
Share-based compensation expense remaining capitalized in inventory	'	'	10	15
Cost of goods sold [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total share-based compensation expense	54	28	98	84
Operating expenses [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Total share-based compensation expense	$291	$241	$636	$465
Service-based stock awards [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Share granted (in shares)	'	'	95,522	'
Service-based stock awards [Member] | Minimum [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Fair value of grants, per share	'	'	$12.02	'
Service-based stock awards [Member] | Maximum [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Fair value of grants, per share	'	'	$14.33	'
Performance-Based Stock Awards [Member]	'	'	'	'
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Share granted (in shares)	'	'	75,013	'
Fair value of grants, per share	'	'	$13.80	'

Earnings_loss_per_share_Detail

Earnings (loss) per share (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
In Thousands, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Basic EPS:	'	'	'	'
Net earnings (loss)	($697)	$2,146	($3,302)	$1,272
Shares used in per share calculations - basic (in shares)	6,298,000	5,687,000	6,287,000	5,493,000
- basic (in dollars per share)	($0.11)	$0.38	($0.53)	$0.23
Effect of dilutive securities:	'	'	'	'
Loss	0	0	0	0
Common stock options	0	4,000	0	5,000
Warrants and Rights Outstanding	0	0	0	0
Class of Warrant or Right, Number of Securities Called by Warrants or Rights	0	1,000	0	0
Diluted EPS:	'	'	'	'
Net earnings (loss)	($697)	$2,146	($3,302)	$1,272
Shares used in per share calculations - diluted (in shares)	6,298,000	5,692,000	6,287,000	5,498,000
- diluted (in dollars per share)	($0.11)	$0.38	($0.53)	$0.23
Stock options [Member]	'	'	'	'
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	15,000	10,000	15,000	15,000
Warrant [Member]	'	'	'	'
Antidilutive Securities Excluded from Computation of Earnings Per Share [Line Items]	'	'	'	'
Antidilutive securities excluded from computation of earnings per share (in shares)	250,000,000	0	250,000,000	250,000,000

Income_taxes_Details

Income taxes (Details) (Research Tax Credit Carryforward [Member], USD $)	3 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014
Research Tax Credit Carryforward [Member]	'
Tax Credit Carryforward [Line Items]	'
Income tax expense reduction next quarter	$192

Derivative_instruments_Details

Derivative instruments (Details)	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2014
	USD ($)	Interest rate swap	Interest rate swap	Forward exchange contracts	Forward exchange contracts	Forward exchange contracts	Forward exchange contracts	Other Liabilities, Noncurrent [Member]
		USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)	EUR (€)	USD ($)	Interest rate swap
								USD ($)
Derivative [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'	'	'	'
Long-term debt	$6,100,000	$4,600,000	$4,600,000	'	'	'	'	'
Variable interest rate on the derivative (in hundredths)	'	4.27%	4.27%	'	'	'	'	'
Fair value of the net derivative liability	'	'	'	'	'	'	'	203,000
Gain (Loss) on net derivative	'	-17,000	44,000	-11,000	-22,000	'	'	'
Interest expense	'	31,000	65,000	'	'	'	'	'
Derivative amount	'	'	'	5,500,000	5,500,000	4,000,000	'	'
Fair value of the derivative asset, net	'	'	'	$22,000	$22,000	'	$46,000	'

Fair_value_measurements_Detail

Fair value measurements (Details) (USD $)	Mar. 31, 2014
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Long-term debt	$6,100,000
Level 1 | Interest rate swap	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Level 1 | Forward exchange contracts	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Level 2 | Interest rate swap	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	-203,000
Level 2 | Forward exchange contracts	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Level 3 | Interest rate swap	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Level 3 | Forward exchange contracts	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Total Assets/ Liabilities at Fair Value | Interest rate swap	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	-203,000
Total Assets/ Liabilities at Fair Value | Forward exchange contracts	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Derivatives	0
Interest rate swap	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Long-term debt	4,600,000
Proditec SAS [Member]	'
Fair Value, Assets and Liabilities Measured on Recurring and Nonrecurring Basis [Line Items]	'
Carrying value of minority interest in Proditec SAS	$0

Financing_arrangements_Details

Financing arrangements (Details)

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Mar. 31, 2014

Interest rate swap

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Loans Payable [Member]

Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]

Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Commercial bank in the Netherlands [Member]

Commercial bank in the Netherlands [Member]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Prime Rate [Member]

LIBOR [Member]

LIBOR [Member]

Minimum [Member]

Minimum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

Maximum [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Credit sub-facility standby letters of credit [Member]

Credit sub-facility standby letters of credit [Member]

Credit sub-facility standby letters of credit [Member]

Credit sub-facility standby letters of credit [Member]

USD ($)

EUR (€)

Line of Credit [Member]

Line of Credit [Member]

Outstanding performance guarantees [Member]

Outstanding performance guarantees [Member]

Commercial Loan [Member]

Commercial Loan [Member]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Revolving credit facility term loan [Member]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Prime Rate [Member]

LIBOR [Member]

Prime Rate [Member]

LIBOR [Member]

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

USD ($)

EUR (€)

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Commercial bank in Belgium [Member] [Domain]

Domestic Credit Facility [Member]

Line of Credit [Member]

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Line of Credit [Member]

Revolving Credit Facility [Member]

Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Maximum borrowing capacity

'

'

'

'

'

'

$15,000,000

$6,000,000

'

$4,119,600

€ 3,000,000

$3,700,000

€ 2,700,000

$1,099,000

€ 800,000

$687,000

€ 500,000

$1,900,000

€ 1,400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Line of Credit Facility, Interest Rate During Period

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

2.91%

'

3.98%

'

Maturity date

'

'

30-Sep-14

2-Jan-24

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Interest rate (in hundredths)

'

'

'

'

'

'

1.65%

'

'

'

'

'

'

9.75%

9.75%

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Outstanding at the end of the period

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

1,049,000

0

'

'

'

'

1,300,000

900,000

26,000

19,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Debt Instrument, Description of Variable Rate Basis

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'prime

'

'BBA LIBOR

'

'

'

'

Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

0.25%

1.40%

'

1.25%

1.50%

'

1.75%

Term on debt

'

'

'

'15 years

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Loan amount

'

'

'

6,400,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Long-term Debt, Gross

'

'

'

$4,600,000

$160,000

€ 117,000

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage

4.99%

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Fixed interest rate (in hundredths)

'

4.27%

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

'

Financing_arrangements_Notes_p

Financing arrangements Notes payable (Details)	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2014
		Loans Payable [Member]	Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]	Notes Payable, Other Payables [Member]	Interest rate swap
		USD ($)	USD ($)	EUR (€)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'
Term on debt	'	'15 years	'	'	'
Maturity date	'	2-Jan-24	'	'	'
Loan amount	'	$6,400,000	'	'	'
Long-term Debt, Gross	'	$4,600,000	$160,000	€ 117,000	'
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage	4.99%	'	'	'	'
Fixed interest rate (in hundredths)	'	'	'	'	4.27%

Contractual_guarantees_and_ind2

Contractual guarantees and indemnities (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]	'	'
Product warranty period, minimum	'90 days	'
Product warranty period, maximum	'5 years	'
Reconciliation of changes in Company's allowances for warranties [Roll Forward]	'	'
Beginning balance	$2,736	$2,030
Warranty costs incurred	-1,652	-1,561
Warranty expense accrued	1,222	1,809
Translation adjustments	12	-6
Acquired balance	0	107
Ending balance	2,318	2,379
Financial Standby Letter of Credit [Member]	'	'
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]	'	'
Guarantor obligations, maximum exposure, undiscounted	1,100	'
Outstanding performance guarantees [Member] | Domestic Credit Facility [Member]	'	'
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]	'	'
Guarantor obligations, maximum exposure, undiscounted	1,049	'
Outstanding performance guarantees [Member] | Subsidiaries-Belgium [Member]	'	'
Guarantor Obligations [Line Items]	'	'
Guarantor obligations, maximum exposure, undiscounted	$26	'

Contingencies_and_Commitments_1

Contingencies and Commitments (Details)	3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended		0 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013	Jan. 27, 2006	Apr. 29, 2014
	USD ($)	USD ($)	USD ($)	Visys N.V. [Member]	Subsequent Event [Member]
				Belgian Electronics Sorting Technologies NV vs Visys [Member]	Tomra Systems ASA and Tomra Sorting N.V. [Member]
				EUR (€)	USD ($)
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]	'	'	'	'	'
Cumulative amount of claims in excess	'	'	'	€ 12,750,000	'
Additional accrual related to the settlement	'	'	'	'	550,000
Income tax benefit	$361,000	($686,000)	($275,000)	'	$187,000