Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Sep. 30, 2014

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Deferred Profit

The components of deferred profit are as follows:

	September 30,
	2014		2013		2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Deferred revenue	$	8,118	$	3,371	$	11,200
Deferred costs	1,210		304		964
Deferred profit	$	6,908	$	3,067	$	10,236

Allowance For Doubtful Accounts

The following is a summary of the activity in the Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts:

	Years Ended September 30,
	2014			2013			2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at beginning of year	$	638		$	517		$	246
Provision	1,304			199			271
Write offs	(13		)	(78		)	—
Adjustment	917			$	—		$	—
Balance at end of year	$	2,846		$	638		$	517

Schedule of Inventory, Current

The components of inventories are as follows:

	September 30, 2014		September 30, 2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Purchased parts and raw materials	$	8,797	$	11,757
Work-in-process	4,809		7,104
Finished goods	3,154		3,140
	$	16,760	$	22,001

Property, Plant and Equipment

The following is a summary of property, plant and equipment:

	September 30, 2014			September 30, 2013
	(dollars in thousands)
Land, building and leasehold improvements	$	10,414		$	10,960
Equipment and machinery	8,189			7,630
Furniture and fixtures	5,453			5,685
	24,056			24,275
Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(14,304		)	(13,209		)
	$	9,752		$	11,066

Schedule of Goodwill

The changes in the carrying amount of goodwill for the year ended September 30, 2014 are as follows.

	Solar and Semiconductor			Polishing Supplies and Equipment		Total
	(dollars in thousands)
Balance at the beginning of year
Goodwill	$	12,563		$	728	$	13,291
Accumulated impairment losses	(4,810		)	—		(4,810		)
	7,753			728		8,481
Net exchange differences	(158		)	—		(158		)
Balance at the end of the year
Goodwill	12,315			728		13,043
Accumulated impairment losses	(4,720		)	—		(4,720		)
	$	7,595		$	728	$	8,323

Schedule of Finite-Lived Intangible Assets

The following is a summary of intangibles:

	Useful Life	Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount		Gross Carrying Amount		Accumulated Amortization			Net Carrying Amount
		Years Ended September 30,
		2014							2013
		(dollars in thousands)
Non-compete agreements	4-8 years	$	1,055	$	(955	)	$	100	$	1,065	$	(717	)	$	348
Customer lists	10 years	817		(592		)	225		871		(532		)	339
Technology	5-10 years	2,319		(1,682		)	637		2,426		(1,422		)	1,004
In-process research and development	5 years	1,600		(27		)	1,573		1,600		—			1,600
Other	2-10 years	321		(178		)	143		341		(130		)	211
		$	6,112	$	(3,434	)	$	2,678	$	6,303	$	(2,801	)	$	3,502

Schedule of Product Warranty Liability

The following is a summary of activity in accrued warranty expense:

	Years Ended September 30,
	2014			2013			2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Beginning balance	$	1,454		$	2,687		$	2,265
Warranty expenditures	(819		)	(1,360		)	(1,831		)
Reserve provision/(adjustment)	(7		)	127			2,253
Ending balance	$	628		$	1,454		$	2,687

Research and Development Expense

	Years Ended September 30,
	2014			2013			2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Research and development	$	10,863		$	8,459		$	14,723
Grants earned	(4,572		)	(1,865		)	(1,029		)
Net research and development	$	6,291		$	6,594		$	13,694

Schedule of Compensation Cost for Share-based Payment Arrangements, Allocation of Share-based Compensation Costs by Plan

Stock-based compensation expense for the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012 reduced the Company’s results of operations as follows:

	Years Ended September 30,
	2014			2013			2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Effect on income before income taxes (1)	$	(795	)	$	(2,472	)	$	(1,763	)
Effect on income taxes	$	326		$	512		$	255
Effect on net income	$	(469	)	$	(1,960	)	$	(1,508	)

(1) Stock-based compensation expense is included in selling, general and administrative expense

Stock-based compensation plans are summarized in the table below:

Name of Plan	Shares Authorized	Shares Available	Options Outstanding	Plan Expiration
2007 Employee Stock Incentive Plan	2,300,000	850,892	856,394	Mar. 2020
1998 Employee Stock Option Plan	500,000	—	52,460	Jan. 2008
Non-Employee Directors Stock Option Plan	500,000	191,600	154,470	Mar. 2020
		1,042,492	1,063,324

Schedule of the fair value of stock option awards

The Company estimates the fair value of stock option awards on the date of grant using the Black-Scholes option pricing model using the following assumptions:

	Years Ended September 30,
	2014	2013	2012
Risk free interest rate	2%	1%	1%
Expected life	6 years	6 years	6 years
Dividend rate	0%	0%	0%
Volatility	69%	70%	70%

Schedule of Multiemployer Plans

Below is a table of contributions made by the Company to multiemployer pension plans.

	Contributions
	Years Ended September 30,
	2014		2013		2012
	(dollars in thousands)
Pensioenfonds Metaal en Techniek (PMT)	$	929	$	879	$	1,021
Other plans	158		163		181
Total	$	1,087	$	1,042	$	1,202