CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF EARNINGS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended	9 Months Ended
Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014	Apr. 30, 2015	Apr. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 681,145us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 682,445us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 2,051,431us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet	$ 1,989,193us-gaap_SalesRevenueNet
Cost of sales	325,747us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold	334,371us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold	993,607us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold	971,146us-gaap_CostOfGoodsAndServicesSold
Gross profit	355,398us-gaap_GrossProfit	348,074us-gaap_GrossProfit	1,057,824us-gaap_GrossProfit	1,018,047us-gaap_GrossProfit
Selling, general and administrative expenses	197,683	201,045	592,173	592,228
Research and development	24,025us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	26,644us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	73,260us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense	74,890us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Restructuring and other charges, net	14,131pll_RestructuringAndOtherGainsCharges	11,542pll_RestructuringAndOtherGainsCharges	34,905pll_RestructuringAndOtherGainsCharges	29,910pll_RestructuringAndOtherGainsCharges
Interest expense, net	1,270	4,747	14,210	15,919
Earnings before income taxes	118,289	104,096	343,276	305,100
Provision for income taxes	22,112us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	15,405us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	74,427us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit	61,230us-gaap_IncomeTaxExpenseBenefit
Net earnings	$ 96,177us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 88,691us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 268,849us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss	$ 243,870us-gaap_NetIncomeLoss
Earnings per share:
Basic (in dollars per share)	$ 0.90us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 0.80us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 2.50us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic	$ 2.20us-gaap_EarningsPerShareBasic
Diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 0.89us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 0.80us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 2.47us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted	$ 2.17us-gaap_EarningsPerShareDiluted
Dividends declared per share	$ 0.305	$ 0.550	$ 0.915	$ 0.825
Average shares outstanding:
Basic	107,162	110,183	107,502	110,946
Diluted	108,557	111,466	108,812	112,215

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The amount of net income (loss) for the period available to each share of common stock or common unit outstanding during the reporting period and to each share or unit that would have been outstanding assuming the issuance of common shares or units for all dilutive potential common shares or units outstanding during the reporting period.

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Amount of current income tax expense (benefit) and deferred income tax expense (benefit) pertaining to continuing operations.

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The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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