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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies - Additional Information (Detail)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Accounting Policies [Abstract]  
Effective maturity of investments 10 years
Maximum investment of the company in partnership 5.00%cgnx_MaximumInvestmentOfCompanyInPartnership
Building [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 39 years
Building Improvements [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 10 years
Computer Hardware and Software [Member] | Minimum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 2 years
Computer Hardware and Software [Member] | Maximum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 5 years
Manufacturing test equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 2 years
Manufacturing test equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 5 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Minimum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 2 years
Furniture and Fixtures [Member] | Maximum [Member]  
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]  
Property, Plant and Equipment, Useful Life 5 years