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Property, Plant, and Equipment - Schedule of Property, Plant, and Equipment (Detail) (USD $)
In Thousands, unless otherwise specified
Mar. 31, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross $ 5,697us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross $ 5,510us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
Less accumulated depreciation (3,789)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment (3,656)us-gaap_AccumulatedDepreciationDepletionAndAmortizationPropertyPlantAndEquipment
Total property, plant and equipment, net of depreciation 1,908us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet 1,854us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentNet
Leasehold Improvements [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 70us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsMember
70us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_LeaseholdImprovementsMember
Machinery and Equipment [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 2,172us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
1,995us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_MachineryAndEquipmentMember
Patterns and tooling [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 1,574us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ToolsDiesAndMoldsMember
1,617us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= us-gaap_ToolsDiesAndMoldsMember
Office Furniture and Equipment [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 424us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_OfficeFurnitureAndEquipmentMember
424us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_OfficeFurnitureAndEquipmentMember
IT Equipment and Software [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross 1,335us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_InformationTechnologyEquipmentAndSoftwareMember
1,282us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_InformationTechnologyEquipmentAndSoftwareMember
Field Service Spare Parts [Member]    
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]    
Property, plant and equipment, gross $ 122us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_ServiceAndSparePartsMember
$ 122us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentGross
/ us-gaap_PropertyPlantAndEquipmentByTypeAxis
= nrthf_ServiceAndSparePartsMember