CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	6 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2021	Mar. 31, 2020
Operating activities
Net income (loss)	$ 304	$ (1,272)
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash provided by (used in) operating activities:
Depreciation	197	235
Amortization of intangibles	5	4
Loss on sale of fixed assets, net		9
Foreign exchange loss (gain)	621	(144)
Non-cash changes in accounts receivable	36	97
Non-cash changes in inventories	24	238
Non-cash lease expense	320	322
Stock-based compensation expense on stock options and restricted stock awards	505	455
Deferred income taxes	1,149	1,946
Increase in cash surrender value of life insurance	(61)	(51)
Non-cash other	68
Adjustment for financing activities recognized in net income - Gain on forgiveness of debt	(2,196)
Changes in operating assets and liabilities:
(Increase) decrease in accounts receivable	(1,824)	2,206
Decrease in inventories	1,043	1,149
Increase in refundable income taxes	(423)	(169)
Decrease (increase) in operating lease right-of-use assets	9	(2,131)
Increase in other assets	(1,005)	(473)
Decrease in investment in lease	208	178
(Increase) decrease in long-term receivable	(4,176)	176
Increase (decrease) in accounts payable and accrued expenses	1,701	(6,421)
(Decrease) increase in operating lease liabilities	(279)	2,076
Increase in deferred revenue	455	637
Increase in pension and retirement plans liabilities	31	18
Decrease in income taxes payable		(694)
Increase (decrease) in other long-term liabilities	5,100	(252)
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities	1,812	(1,861)
Investing activities
Life insurance premiums paid	(70)	(144)
Purchases of property, equipment and improvements	(43)	(240)
Net cash used in investing activities	(113)	(384)
Financing activities
Dividends paid		(1,263)
Net payments under line-of-credit agreement	(382)	(874)
Proceeds from debt		2,037
Repayments on debt	(164)	(565)
Principal payments on finance leases	(173)	(157)
Purchase of common stock		(43)
Proceeds from issuance of shares under equity compensation plans	106	112
Net cash used in financing activities	(613)	(753)
Effects of exchange rate on cash	47	141
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents	1,133	(2,857)
Cash and cash equivalents beginning of period	19,264	18,099
Cash and cash equivalents at end of period	20,397	15,242
Supplementary cash flow information:
Cash paid for income taxes	107	16
Cash paid for interest	100	$ 154
Supplementary non-cash financing activities:
Gain on forgiveness of debt	$ 2,196