Debt (Details) - USD ($)	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2020	Jun. 30, 2020	Dec. 31, 2019	Feb. 01, 2019
Debt [Abstract]
Current maturities of long-term debt	$ 152,000	$ 152,000	$ 209,000
Long-term debt	431,000	431,000	690,000
Short-term debt	821,000	821,000	1,130,000
Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Amount of letters of credit outstanding	11,500,000	11,500,000
Osborn
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	5,500,000	5,500,000
Borrowings outstanding	$ 0	0
Unused facility fee as a percentage of line of credit	0.75%
Performance bank guarantee, subsidiary obligation to fulfill contracts	$ 900,000	900,000
Under utilized facility resulting in unused facility fee	50.00%
Line of credit facility, remaining borrowing capacity	$ 4,600,000	$ 4,600,000
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable rate		0.25%
Astec Brazil
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt instrument, maturity date		Sep. 30, 2020
Debt [Abstract]
Short-term debt	200,000	$ 200,000	1,100,000
Astec Brazil Working Capital Loans
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Debt instrument, maturity date		Apr. 30, 2024
Debt [Abstract]
Loans payable	$ 600,000	$ 600,000	900,000
Debt instrument, interest rate	10.40%	10.40%
Astec Brazil Working Capital Loans and Equipment Financing
Debt [Abstract]
Current maturities of long-term debt	$ 200,000	$ 200,000	200,000
Long-term debt	400,000	400,000	700,000
Telestack
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	3,100,000	3,100,000
Line of credit facility, future decrease	300,000	300,000
Debt [Abstract]
Loans payable	$ 800,000	$ 800,000	0.0
Debt instrument, interest rate	2.60%	2.60%
Short-term debt	$ 1,500,000	$ 1,500,000	1,200,000
Astec Australia
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	2,400,000	2,400,000
Borrowings outstanding	0	0
Performance bank guarantee, subsidiary obligation to fulfill contracts	300,000	300,000
Current borrowing capacity	1,500,000	1,500,000
Wells Fargo
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity				$ 150,000,000.0
Borrowings outstanding	0	0	$ 0
Amount of letters of credit outstanding	8,800,000	8,800,000
Line of credit, additional borrowing capacity	141,200,000	$ 141,200,000
Debt [Abstract]
Line of credit facility, expiration date		Dec. 29, 2023
Wells Fargo | Maximum
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Sub-limit for letters of credit				$ 30,000,000.0
Wells Fargo | Astec Brazil Working Capital Loans
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Contingent liabilities for letters of credit issued on behalf of foreign subsidiaries	$ 3,200,000	$ 3,200,000
Wells Fargo | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR)
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Term of variable rate	1 month
Additional rate over base, percentage	0.75%
Unused facility fee as a percentage of line of credit		0.125%
Wells Fargo | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Astec Australia
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Unused facility fee as a percentage of line of credit		1.35%