Major Customers and Segment Data (Details 1) (USD $) In Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010	Sep. 30, 2009
Italy [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	$ 8,544	$ 8,183	$ 8,289
United Kingdom [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	2,373	2,646	2,373
United Kingdom [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	4,890	2,575	474
France [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	2,537	2,590	2,939
France [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	1,111	1,318	745
Holland [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	2,142	2,045	1,828
Belgium [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	1,289	1,291	1,875
Other countries [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	7,302	7,286	8,566
Other countries [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	8,664	4,474	5,167
Australia [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	3,105	1,289	845
Germany [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	4,922	3,376	2,816
United States [Member] | Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	15,711	13,907	13,387
Life Science [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	38,403	26,939	23,434
European Diagnostics [Member]
Significant sales information by country for the European Diagnostics and Life Science operating segment
Total	$ 24,187	$ 24,041	$ 25,870