Income Taxes (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Aug. 31, 2016	Aug. 31, 2015
Income Taxes
Statutory income tax rate in Taiwan (as a percent)	17.00%
Additional Taiwan corporate income tax rate (as a percent)	10.00%
Surtax rate (as a percent)	10.00%
Loss before income taxes
U.S. operations	$ (973)	$ (770)
Foreign operations	(20,331)	(12,547)
Loss before income taxes	(21,304)	(13,317)
Unrecognized tax benefits	$ 0	$ 0
Reconciliation of income tax expense
U.S. federal income tax rate (as a percent)	34.00%	34.00%
Computed "expected" income tax benefit	$ (7,243)	$ (4,528)
Foreign tax rate differential	2,078	1,432
Valuation allowance	5,097	3,125
Other	68	(28)
Total income tax expense		1
Deferred tax assets:
Inventories, primarily due to inventory obsolescence and lower of cost or market provisions	1,659	1,346
Allowance for doubtful accounts	155	428
Accruals and other	196	123
Property, plant and equipment	4,126	2,627
Stock-based compensation	609	617
Investments in unconsolidated entities	5,560	5,587
Net operating loss carryforwards	21,396	19,086
Net operating loss carryforwards-undistributed earnings tax	9,679	7,662
Total gross deferred tax assets	43,380	37,476
Less: Valuation allowance	$ (43,380)	$ (37,476)