CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 384,758	$ 373,598	$ 364,706
Cost of revenue	222,306	215,708	214,539
Gross profit	162,452	157,890	150,167
Operating expenses:
Research and development and engineering	32,002	31,043	28,954
Selling, general and administrative	81,691	82,049	84,380
Amortization of purchased intangible assets	8,251	7,611	10,262
Restructuring, acquisition and divestiture related costs	7,945	8,254	1,935
Impairment of goodwill and intangible assets			41,442
Total operating expenses	129,889	128,957	166,973
Operating income (loss) from continuing operations	32,563	28,933	(16,806)
Interest income (expense), net	(4,559)	(5,180)	(5,096)
Foreign exchange transaction gains (losses), net	2,317	(23)	1,281
Other income (expense), net	2,201	2,663	2,706
Gain on disposal of business		19,629
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	32,522	46,022	(17,915)
Income tax provision (benefit)	10,519	10,394	(1,006)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	22,003	35,628	(16,909)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of tax		(13)	(5,607)
Loss on disposal of discontinued operations, net of tax			(1,726)
Consolidated net income (loss)	22,003	35,615	(24,242)
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest			(10)
Net income (loss) attributable to Novanta Inc.	$ 22,003	$ 35,615	$ (24,252)
Earnings (loss) per common share from continuing operations:
Basic	$ 0.63	$ 1.03	$ (0.49)
Diluted	0.63	1.02	(0.49)
Loss per common share from discontinued operations:
Basic		0.00	(0.21)
Diluted		0.00	(0.21)
Earnings (loss) per common share attributable to Novanta Inc.:
Basic	0.63	1.03	(0.70)
Diluted	$ 0.63	$ 1.02	$ (0.70)
Weighted average common shares outstanding—basic	34,694	34,579	34,352
Weighted average common shares outstanding—diluted	34,914	34,827	34,352
Amounts attributable to Novanta Inc.:
Income (loss) from continuing operations	$ 22,003	$ 35,628	$ (16,909)
Loss from discontinued operations		(13)	(7,343)
Net income (loss) attributable to Novanta Inc.	$ 22,003	$ 35,615	$ (24,252)