Consolidated Statements of Shareholders' Equity (USD $)	Common Stock [Member]	Retained Earnings [Member]	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Member]	Parent [Member]	Noncontrolling Interest [Member]	Total
Balances at Jan. 31, 2010	$ 17,297,000	$ 29,679,000	$ (127,000)	$ 46,849,000	$ 523,000	$ 47,372,000
Balances (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2010	9,449,000
Net income	0	5,350,000	0	5,350,000	433,000	5,783,000
Foreign currency translation	0	0	(20,000)	(20,000)	0	(20,000)
Comprehensive income	0	0	0	5,330,000	0	5,763,000
Stock retired for option exercise	(468,000)	0	0	(468,000)	0	(468,000)
Stock retired for option exercise (in shares)	(65,000)
Stock options exercised	1,347,000	0	0	1,347,000	0	1,347,000
Stock options exercised (in shares)	471,000
Stock issued for acquisition of Elliott Laboratories, Inc.	1,263,000	0	0	1,263,000	0	1,263,000
Stock Issued For Acquisition1 Shares	230,000
Stock issued for acquisition of Mechtronic Solutions, Inc.	500,000	0	0	500,000	0	500,000
Stock issued for acquisition of Mechtronic Solutions, Inc. (in shares)	66,000
Vesting of restricted stock	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)	62,000
Issuance of restricted stock	306,000	0	0	306,000	0	306,000
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)	0
Issuance of common stock	165,000	0	0	165,000	0	165,000
Issuance of common stock (in shares)	30,000
Tax benefit from stock options exercise	344,000	0	0	344,000	0	344,000
Dividends	0	(809,000)	0	(809,000)	(100,000)	(909,000)
Reclassification of dividend	0	141,000	0	141,000	(141,000)	0
Balances at Jan. 31, 2011	20,754,000	34,361,000	(147,000)	54,968,000	715,000	55,683,000
Balances (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2011	10,243,000					10,243,000
Net income		491,000	0	491,000	866,000	1,357,000
Foreign currency translation		0	(41,000)	(41,000)	0	(41,000)
Comprehensive income		0	0	450,000	0	1,316,000
Stock retired for option exercise	(26,000)	0	0	(26,000)	0	(26,000)
Stock retired for option exercise (in shares)	(4,000)
Stock options exercised	222,000	0	0	222,000	0	222,000
Stock options exercised (in shares)	86,000
Stock issued to Mill Road	5,503,000	0	0	5,503,000	0	5,503,000
Stock issued to Mill Road (in shares)	933,000
Vesting of restricted stock	0	0	0	0	0	0
Vesting of restricted stock (in shares)	48,000
Issuance of restricted stock	269,000	0	0	269,000	0	269,000
Issuance of restricted stock (in shares)	0
Tax benefit from stock options exercise	77,000	0	0	77,000	0	77,000
Dividends paid to noncontrolling interests	0	0	0	0	(200,000)	(200,000)
Warrants issued to Mill Road	1,855,000	0	0	1,855,000	0	1,855,000
Balances at Jan. 31, 2012	$ 28,654,000	$ 34,852,000	$ (188,000)	$ 63,318,000	$ 1,381,000	$ 64,699,000
Balances (in shares) at Jan. 31, 2012	11,306,000					11,306,000