Segment Information (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2013	Jun. 30, 2012	Jun. 30, 2013 segments	Jun. 30, 2012
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Number of Reportable Segments			4
Planned spin off costs incurred to date			$ 3,322
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	2,228,763	2,038,289	4,268,336	3,992,903
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations	317,501	280,934	584,177	541,209
Interest expense, net	30,280	29,715	60,524	59,746
Provision for income taxes	23,149	75,778	92,836	149,644
Earnings from continuing operations	294,352	205,156	491,341	391,565
Communication Technologies Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	401,477	361,689	774,267	719,264
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations	51,789	50,322	95,997	96,878
Energy Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	573,471	538,786	1,134,669	1,070,356
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations	132,926	133,936	272,471	266,051
Engineered Systems Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	1,003,895	886,123	1,871,828	1,708,247
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations	165,440	133,808	282,618	255,900
Printing and Identification Segment [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	250,646	251,875	488,523	495,445
Reconciliation of Earnings from Continuing Operations from Segments to Consolidated [Abstract]
Earnings from continuing operations before provision for income taxes and discontinued operations	35,967	28,918	65,719	55,007
Intersegment Elimination [Member]
Reconciliation from Segment Totals to Consolidated [Abstract]
Revenue	(726)	(184)	(951)	(409)
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	386,122	346,984	716,805	673,836
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	$ 38,341	$ 36,335	$ 72,104	$ 72,881

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Amount of income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to the parent. Also defined as revenue less expenses and taxes from ongoing operations before extraordinary items but after deduction of those portions of income or loss from continuing operations that are allocable to noncontrolling interests.

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