Segment Information (Consolidated Net Sales and Earnings by Segment) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Net sales	$ 407,896	$ 365,075
Interest expense, net	(6,182)	(6,378)
Consolidated earnings before income taxes	40,176	31,475
Total of Reporting Segments [Member]
Segment earnings (loss)	53,785	44,417
Aerospace [Member]
Net sales	193,226	181,144
Segment earnings (loss)	27,060	19,914
Energy [Member]
Net sales	214,670	183,931
Segment earnings (loss)	26,725	24,503
Unallocated Corporate [Member]
Segment earnings (loss)	$ (7,427)	$ (6,564)

Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 4

-Section 08

-Paragraph h

-Subparagraph 1(i)

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 235

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 1

-Subparagraph (SX 210.4-08.(h)(1)(i))

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6881521&loc=d3e23780-122690

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- Definition

Amount of interest revenue (income derived from investments in debt securities and on cash and cash equivalents) net of interest expense (cost of borrowed funds accounted for as interest).

+ References

No definition available.

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- Definition

Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher SEC

-Name Regulation S-X (SX)

-Number 210

-Article 5

-Section 03

-Paragraph 1

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

-Topic 225

-SubTopic 10

-Section S99

-Paragraph 2

-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1)

-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6880815&loc=d3e20235-122688

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Sum of operating profit and nonoperating income or expense before Income or Loss from equity method investments, income taxes, extraordinary items, noncontrolling interest and interest expense or income, net.

+ References

No definition available.

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