1.0.0.3 false Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows (USD $) In Thousands false 1 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 2 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 false 3 $ false false Shares Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 USD Standard http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 0 USDEPS Divide http://www.xbrl.org/2003/iso4217 USD iso4217 http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance shares xbrli 0 4 Operating activities: 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 5 Net income 3 us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 true true 205770000 205770 false false 2 true true 246952000 246952 false false 3 true true 228020000 228020 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 6 Adjustments to reconcile net income to total operating activities: 3 us-gaap_AdjustmentsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 7 Depreciation and amortization 4 us-gaap_DepreciationAndAmortization us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 65500000 65500 false false 2 false true 63261000 63261 false false 3 false true 52665000 52665 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 8 Deferred income tax expense 4 us-gaap_DeferredIncomeTaxExpenseBenefit us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 5768000 5768 false false 2 false true 29742000 29742 false false 3 false true 4769000 4769 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 9 Share-based compensation expense 4 us-gaap_ShareBasedCompensation us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 13502000 13502 false false 2 false true 20186000 20186 false false 3 false true 15530000 15530 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 10 Changes in assets and liabilities, net of acquisitions: 4 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInOperatingCapitalAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 11 Decrease (increase) in receivables 5 us-gaap_IncreaseDecreaseInReceivables us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 87146000 87146 false false 2 false true 6636000 6636 false false 3 false true -26944000 -26944 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 12 Decrease (increase) in inventories and other current assets 5 ame_IncreaseDecreaseInInventoriesAndOtherCurrentAssets ame false credit duration monetary (Increase) decrease in inventories and other current assets. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 83622000 83622 false false 2 false true -35180000 -35180 false false 3 false true 194000 194 false false (Increase) decrease in inventories and other current assets. No authoritative reference available. false 13 (Decrease) increase in payables, accruals and income taxes 5 ame_IncreaseDecreaseInPayablesAccrualsAndIncomeTaxes ame false debit duration monetary Increase Decrease In Payables Accruals And Income Taxes. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -91622000 -91622 false false 2 false true 3161000 3161 false false 3 false true 13421000 13421 false false Increase Decrease In Payables Accruals And Income Taxes. No authoritative reference available. false 14 Increase (decrease) in other long-term liabilities 5 ame_IncreaseDecreaseInOtherLongTermLiabilities ame false debit duration monetary Increase Decrease In Other Long Term Liabilities. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3345000 3345 false false 2 false true -1907000 -1907 false false 3 false true -7153000 -7153 false false Increase Decrease In Other Long Term Liabilities. No authoritative reference available. false 15 Pension contribution 4 us-gaap_PensionContributions us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -21127000 -21127 false false 2 false true -79905000 -79905 false false 3 false true -5162000 -5162 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 16 Other 4 us-gaap_AdjustmentsNoncashItemsToReconcileNetIncomeLossToCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivitiesOther us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 12767000 12767 false false 2 false true -5681000 -5681 false false 3 false true 3183000 3183 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 17 Total operating activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInOperatingActivities us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 364671000 364671 false false 2 false true 247265000 247265 false false 3 false true 278523000 278523 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 18 Investing activities: 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 19 Additions to property, plant and equipment 3 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquirePropertyPlantAndEquipment us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -33062000 -33062 false false 2 false true -44215000 -44215 false false 3 false true -37620000 -37620 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 20 Purchases of businesses, net of cash acquired 3 us-gaap_PaymentsToAcquireBusinessesNetOfCashAcquired us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -72919000 -72919 false false 2 false true -463012000 -463012 false false 3 false true -300569000 -300569 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 21 (Increase) decrease in marketable securities 3 us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromShortTermInvestments us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -638000 -638 false false 2 false true 6323000 6323 false false 3 false true -1700000 -1700 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 22 Other 3 us-gaap_PaymentsForProceedsFromOtherInvestingActivities us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 275000 275 false false 2 false true 4282000 4282 false false 3 false true 5228000 5228 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 23 Total investing activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInInvestingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -106344000 -106344 false false 2 false true -496622000 -496622 false false 3 false true -334661000 -334661 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 24 Financing activities: 2 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivitiesAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 25 Net change in short-term borrowings 3 us-gaap_ProceedsFromRepaymentsOfShortTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -13013000 -13013 false false 2 false true 69693000 69693 false false 3 false true -162589000 -162589 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 26 Additional long-term borrowings 3 us-gaap_ProceedsFromIssuanceOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 1466000 1466 false false 2 false true 430000000 430000 false false 3 false true 370000000 370000 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 27 Reduction in long-term borrowings 3 us-gaap_RepaymentsOfLongTermDebt us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -80817000 -80817 false false 2 false true -232835000 -232835 false false 3 false true -26553000 -26553 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 28 Repayment of life insurance policy loans 3 ame_RepaymentOfLifeInsurancePolicyLoans ame false credit duration monetary Repayment of life insurance policy loans. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -21394000 -21394 false false 3 false true 0 0 false false Repayment of life insurance policy loans. No authoritative reference available. false 29 Repurchases of common stock 3 us-gaap_PaymentsForRepurchaseOfCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 0 0 false false 2 false true -57444000 -57444 false false 3 false true -5437000 -5437 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 30 Cash dividends paid 3 us-gaap_PaymentsOfDividendsCommonStock us-gaap true credit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -25579000 -25579 false false 2 false true -25685000 -25685 false false 3 false true -25748000 -25748 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 31 Excess tax benefits from share-based payments 3 us-gaap_ExcessTaxBenefitFromShareBasedCompensationFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 4096000 4096 false false 2 false true 4890000 4890 false false 3 false true 9464000 9464 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 32 Proceeds from employee stock plans and other 3 ame_ProceedsFromEmployeeStockPlansAndOther ame false debit duration monetary Proceeds from employee stock plans and other. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 11328000 11328 false false 2 false true 6238000 6238 false false 3 false true 14961000 14961 false false Proceeds from employee stock plans and other. No authoritative reference available. true 33 Total financing activities 3 us-gaap_NetCashProvidedByUsedInFinancingActivities us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true -102519000 -102519 false false 2 false true 173463000 173463 false false 3 false true 174098000 174098 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 34 Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents 1 us-gaap_EffectOfExchangeRateOnCashAndCashEquivalents us-gaap true debit duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 3568000 3568 false false 2 false true -7265000 -7265 false false 3 false true 3088000 3088 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. true 35 Increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsPeriodIncreaseDecrease us-gaap true na duration monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false false false 1 false true 159376000 159376 false false 2 false true -83159000 -83159 false false 3 false true 121048000 121048 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 36 Cash and cash equivalents: 1 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValueAbstract us-gaap true na duration string No definition available. false false false false false true false false false 1 false false 0 0 false false 2 false false 0 0 false false 3 false false 0 0 false false No definition available. false 37 Beginning of year 2 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false true false false 1 false true 86980000 86980 false false 2 false true 170139000 170139 false false 3 false true 49091000 49091 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false 38 End of year 2 us-gaap_CashAndCashEquivalentsAtCarryingValue us-gaap true debit instant monetary No definition available. false false false false false false false true false 1 true true 246356000 246356 false false 2 true true 86980000 86980 false false 3 true true 170139000 170139 false false No definition available. No authoritative reference available. false false 3 35 false Thousands UnKnown UnKnown false true