Segment Information - Information by Segment (Details) - USD ($) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2018	Sep. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Mar. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue	$ 3,580	$ 3,613	$ 3,831	$ 3,744	$ 3,629	$ 3,615	$ 3,599	$ 3,471	$ 14,768	$ 14,314	$ 13,599
Operating income	860	$ 889	$ 932	$ 903	846	$ 960	$ 872	$ 807	3,584	3,485	3,056
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									461	462	470
Plant and equipment additions									364	297	273
Identifiable assets	14,870				16,780				14,870	16,780	15,201
Operating segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income									3,625	3,465	3,155
Identifiable assets	11,335				11,645				11,335	11,645	10,844
Operating segments | Automotive OEM
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									3,338	3,271	2,864
Operating income									751	747	690
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									123	111	90
Plant and equipment additions									184	147	116
Identifiable assets	2,388				2,402				2,388	2,402	2,051
Operating segments | Food Equipment
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									2,214	2,123	2,110
Operating income									572	556	537
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									44	45	45
Plant and equipment additions									28	27	31
Identifiable assets	1,019				1,054				1,019	1,054	1,013
Operating segments | Test & Measurement and Electronics
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									2,171	2,069	1,974
Operating income									523	464	372
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									88	92	104
Plant and equipment additions									31	23	25
Identifiable assets	2,343				2,449				2,343	2,449	2,362
Operating segments | Welding
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									1,691	1,538	1,486
Operating income									474	415	370
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									27	28	36
Plant and equipment additions									23	17	16
Identifiable assets	789				756				789	756	701
Operating segments | Polymers & Fluids
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									1,724	1,724	1,691
Operating income									369	357	343
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									83	89	92
Plant and equipment additions									15	16	18
Identifiable assets	1,942				2,067				1,942	2,067	2,019
Operating segments | Construction Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									1,700	1,672	1,609
Operating income									414	399	361
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									32	33	34
Plant and equipment additions									25	22	20
Identifiable assets	1,167				1,196				1,167	1,196	1,099
Operating segments | Specialty Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									1,951	1,938	1,885
Operating income									522	527	482
Depreciation and amortization and impairment of intangible assets									64	64	69
Plant and equipment additions									58	45	47
Identifiable assets	1,687				1,721				1,687	1,721	1,599
Intersegment revenue
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating revenue									(21)	(21)	(20)
Unallocated
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income									(41)	20	(99)
Corporate
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Identifiable assets	$ 3,535				$ 5,135				$ 3,535	$ 5,135	$ 4,357