Note 4 - Goodwill and Intangible Assets (Detail) - Estimated Useful Lives of Finite Lived Intangible Assets	9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012
Estimated Useful Life	78 months 9 days
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	72 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	120 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Patented Technology [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	60 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	72 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Patented Technology [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	132 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Customer Backlog [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	3 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Trade Names [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	48 months
Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	18 months
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	24 months
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Computer Software, Intangible Asset [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	72 months
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Sigma [Member] | Patented Technology [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	12 months
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	63 months 15 days
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Patented Technology [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	123 months 15 days
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Trade Names [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	39 months 15 days
Remaining Estimated Useful Life [Member] | Thermonics [Member] | Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Remaining Estimated Useful Life	12 months
Customer Relationships [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	72 months
Patented Technology [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	132 months
Customer Backlog [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	3 months
Trade Names [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	48 months
Noncompete Agreements [Member]
Estimated Useful Life	18 months