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Legal Proceedings (Details Textual) (USD $)
0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Jan. 06, 2015
Apr. 19, 2013
shareholder_class_action
Jun. 30, 2013
shareholder_class_action
Dec. 31, 2014
Mar. 31, 2015
Jun. 10, 2013
shareholder_class_action
May 07, 2013
shareholder_class_action
Plaintiffs that have Separately Sought Damages              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Amount plaintiffs requested in fees $ 300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= mxwl_PlaintiffsthathaveSeparatelySoughtDamagesMember
           
Securities Class Action Settlement              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Number of shareholder class actions filed   4us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_SecuritiesClassActionSettlementMember
         
Accrued liability for low end of range in amount       3,300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualCarryingValueCurrent
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_SecuritiesClassActionSettlementMember
     
Federal Shareholder Derivative Settlement              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Number of shareholder class actions filed     2us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
       
Accrued liability for low end of range in amount         400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualCarryingValueCurrent
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
   
Number of actions           2us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
 
Number of plaintiffs 3us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
           
Amount plaintiffs requested in fees 1,300,000us-gaap_LossContingencyDamagesSoughtValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
           
Amounts of settlement, minimum         400,000us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMinimum
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
   
Amounts of settlement, maximum         1,300,000.0us-gaap_LossContingencyRangeOfPossibleLossMaximum
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
   
Insurance receivable from carrier         400,000us-gaap_InsuranceSettlementsReceivableCurrent
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
   
Federal Shareholder Derivative Settlement | Plaintiffs that have Separately Sought Damages              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Number of plaintiffs 1us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
/ us-gaap_LossContingenciesByNatureOfContingencyAxis
= mxwl_PlaintiffsthathaveSeparatelySoughtDamagesMember
           
Federal Shareholder Derivative Settlement | Minimum              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Range of value of case 400,000mxwl_LossContingencyEstimateofClaimValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
           
Federal Shareholder Derivative Settlement | Maximum              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Range of value of case $ 450,000mxwl_LossContingencyEstimateofClaimValue
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_FederalShareholderDerivativeSettlementMember
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
           
State Shareholder Derivative Matter              
Loss Contingencies [Line Items]              
Number of shareholder class actions filed     2us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_StateShareholderDerivativeMatterMember
       
Number of actions             2us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
/ us-gaap_LitigationCaseAxis
= mxwl_StateShareholderDerivativeMatterMember