Consolidated Statements of Income - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 708,906	$ 746,652	$ 819,817
Cost of sales	486,774	518,189	570,948
Gross profit	222,132	228,463	248,869
Operating expenses:
Selling, general and administrative expenses	140,492	139,217	156,471
Research and development expenses	17,677	17,818	15,522
Impairment of intangible assets	6,568
Restructuring costs	9,849	7,214	1,767
Total operating expenses	174,586	164,249	173,760
Income from operations	47,546	64,214	75,109
Other non-operating income and expense:
Interest expense, net	11,679	12,164	11,994
Loss on extinguishment of debt	1,989
Other non-operating (income) expense, net	(7)	963	(3)
Total other non-operating (income) expense, net	13,661	13,127	11,991
Income before income taxes	33,885	51,087	63,118
Provision for income taxes	8,745	15,744	22,936
Net income	25,140	35,343	40,182
Net loss (income) attributable to non-controlling interest	0	63	(15)
Net income attributable to Altra Industrial Motion Corp.	$ 25,140	$ 35,406	$ 40,167
Weighted average shares, basic	25,719	26,064	26,713
Weighted average shares, diluted	25,872	26,109	27,403
Net income per share:
Basic net income attributable to Altra Industrial Motion Corp.	$ 0.97	$ 1.36	$ 1.50
Diluted net income attributable to Altra Industrial Motion Corp.	0.97	1.36	1.47
Cash dividend declared per share	$ 0.60	$ 0.57	$ 0.46