Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Millions, $ in Millions		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
		Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015	Jul. 03, 2016	Jun. 28, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	[1]	$ 534.9	$ 573.6	$ 1,060.1	$ 1,135.1
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales		331.8	353.9	651.8	696.6
Selling, general and administrative expenses		148.8	150.6	292.9	301.8
Total costs and expenses		480.6	504.5	944.7	998.4
Operating income		54.3	69.1	115.4	136.7
Interest expense, net		(5.9)	(6.0)	(11.6)	(11.9)
Other income, net		17.2	3.4	15.9	4.2
Income before income taxes		65.6	66.5	119.7	129.0
Provision for income taxes		19.5	18.4	35.1	37.0
Net income from continuing operations		46.1	48.1	84.6	92.0
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		(0.4)	(0.1)	(0.5)	(0.3)
Net income		45.7	48.0	84.1	91.7
Noncontrolling interest		0.0	0.3	0.0	0.3
Net income attributable to Teledyne		45.7	48.3	84.1	92.0
Amounts attributable to Teledyne:
Net income from continuing operations		46.1	48.4	84.6	92.3
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes		$ (0.4)	$ (0.1)	$ (0.5)	$ (0.3)
Basic earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in USD per share)		$ 1.34	$ 1.37	$ 2.45	$ 2.60
Discontinued operations (in USD per share)		(0.01)	0.00	(0.01)	(0.01)
Basic earnings per common share (in USD per share)		$ 1.33	$ 1.37	$ 2.44	$ 2.59
Weighted average common shares outstanding (in shares)		34.4	35.3	34.4	35.5
Diluted earnings per common share:
Continuing operations (in USD per share)		$ 1.32	$ 1.34	$ 2.42	$ 2.54
Discontinued operations (in USD per share)		(0.01)	0.00	(0.01)	(0.01)
Diluted earnings per common share (in USD per share)		$ 1.31	$ 1.34	$ 2.41	$ 2.53
Weighted average diluted common shares outstanding (in shares)		35.0	36.1	35.0	36.3

[1] (a)Net sales excludes inter-segment sales of $6.9 million and $12.0 million for the second quarter and six months ended July 3, 2016, respectively, and $3.8 million and $8.1 million for the second quarter and six months ended June 28, 2015, respectively.