Segment Information- Reporting Information by Segment (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Sep. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2012	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	$ 2,013,831	$ 2,097,605	$ 2,038,289	$ 1,954,614	$ 1,890,962	$ 1,999,550	$ 1,819,594	$ 1,659,048	$ 8,104,339	$ 7,369,154	$ 6,109,507
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Interest expense, net									121,141	115,525	106,371
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									1,137,571	1,010,262	813,122
Provision for income taxes									304,452	237,076	193,625
Earnings from continuing operations	208,224	233,330	205,156	186,409	197,267	207,515	213,259	155,145	833,119	773,186	619,497
Operating Margins [Abstract]
Operating margins (pre-tax) (in hundredths)									17.20%	17.10%	17.30%
Earnings from continuing operations (in hundredths)									14.00%	13.70%	13.30%
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									357,585	290,477	229,237
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									297,012	262,676	169,297
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	10,046,398				9,013,692				10,046,398	9,013,692	7,397,544
Assets of discontinued operations	397,545				486,860				397,545	486,860	1,161,199
Total assets	10,443,943				9,500,552				10,443,943	9,500,552	8,558,743
Communication Technologies Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue									1,516,585	1,360,077	1,076,012
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									218,960	226,382	205,215
Operating Margins [Abstract]
Operating margins (pre-tax) (in hundredths)									14.40%	16.60%	19.10%
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									132,619	101,839	72,262
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									152,245	111,402	41,222
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	2,538,644				2,471,918				2,538,644	2,471,918	1,540,636
Energy Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue									2,172,604	1,900,749	1,303,507
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									538,650	450,637	316,113
Operating Margins [Abstract]
Operating margins (pre-tax) (in hundredths)									24.80%	23.70%	24.30%
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									95,077	77,819	48,842
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									70,334	74,953	48,916
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	2,020,349				1,699,395				2,020,349	1,699,395	1,010,415
Engineered Systems Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue									3,419,544	3,100,735	2,786,442
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									501,952	445,186	382,644
Operating Margins [Abstract]
Operating margins (pre-tax) (in hundredths)									14.70%	14.40%	13.70%
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									93,621	74,776	72,526
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									66,028	58,610	57,476
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	3,378,005				2,247,532				3,378,005	2,247,532	2,089,801
Printing and Identification Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue									996,531	1,008,236	943,681
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									135,159	141,561	151,235
Operating Margins [Abstract]
Operating margins (pre-tax) (in hundredths)									13.60%	14.00%	16.00%
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									33,602	33,482	33,570
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									6,255	10,391	10,075
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	1,301,521				1,310,272				1,301,521	1,310,272	1,308,482
Corporate [Member]
Depreciation and Amortization [Abstract]
Depreciation and Amortization									2,666	2,561	2,037
Capital Expenditures [Abstract]
Capital Expenditures									2,150	7,320	11,608
Total Assets [Abstract]
Assets of continuing operations	807,879				1,284,575				807,879	1,284,575	1,448,210
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue									(925)	(643)	(135)
Total segments [Member]
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									1,394,721	1,263,766	1,055,207
Corporate expense / other [Member]
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations									$ 136,009	$ 137,979	$ 135,714