Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss	$ (56,791,000)	$ (45,970,000)	$ (32,641,000)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Deferred income tax expense (benefit)	(25,000)	4,209,000	(943,000)
Rental equipment depreciation	12,530,000	14,523,000	13,948,000
Property, plant and equipment depreciation	5,236,000	5,391,000	5,599,000
Impairment of long-lived assets	5,331,000	1,814,000
Goodwill impairment			1,843,000
Accretion of discounts on short-term investments	60,000	110,000	225,000
Stock-based compensation expense	5,732,000	5,220,000	4,539,000
Bad debt expense (recovery)	(380,000)	763,000	2,147,000
Inventory obsolescence expense	21,472,000	11,212,000	3,887,000
Gross profit from sale of used rental equipment	(9,054,000)	(404,000)	(3,208,000)
Loss on disposal of property, plant and equipment		8,000	26,000
Realized loss on short-term investments	3,000	5,000	7,000
Excess tax expense from stock-based compensation		(1,411,000)	(1,083,000)
Effects of changes in operating assets and liabilities:
Trade accounts and financing receivables	7,743,000	(3,428,000)	7,088,000
Income tax receivable	13,041,000	4,078,000	(14,799,000)
Inventories	2,962,000	5,193,000	9,661,000
Prepaid expenses and other current assets	680,000	(523,000)	997,000
Prepaid income taxes	2,171,000	1,475,000	1,753,000
Accounts payable trade	477,000	(1,942,000)	(834,000)
Accrued expenses and other	(1,269,000)	(2,149,000)	(6,004,000)
Deferred revenue	295,000	11,000	(3,567,000)
Income taxes payable	(123,000)	120,000	(10,000)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	10,091,000	(1,695,000)	(11,369,000)
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, plant and equipment	(1,177,000)	(1,867,000)	(2,189,000)
Investment in rental equipment	(455,000)	(502,000)	(3,973,000)
Proceeds from the sale of used rental equipment	4,884,000	1,584,000	4,278,000
Purchases of short-term investments	(19,242,000)	(25,791,000)	(6,306,000)
Proceeds from the sale of short-term investments	10,532,000	16,368,000	7,902,000
Net cash used in investing activities	(5,458,000)	(10,208,000)	(288,000)
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from exercise of stock options and other	50,000
Net cash provided by financing activities	50,000
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash	147,000	(149,000)	614,000
Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	4,830,000	(12,052,000)	(11,043,000)
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of fiscal year	10,262,000	22,314,000	33,357,000
Cash and cash equivalents, end of fiscal year	$ 15,092,000	$ 10,262,000	$ 22,314,000