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Shareholders' Equity - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended 0 Months Ended 3 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Vote
Dec. 31, 2012
Dec. 31, 2014
Vote
Dec. 31, 2013
Jul. 31, 2013
Sep. 29, 2013
Sep. 30, 2013
Dec. 05, 2008
Right
Apr. 27, 2008
Nov. 27, 2011
Apr. 29, 2014
Class of Stock [Line Items]                      
Authorized shares 400,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized   400,000us-gaap_PreferredStockSharesAuthorized                
Preferred stock Par value (in dollars per share) $ 0.01us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare   $ 0.01us-gaap_PreferredStockParOrStatedValuePerShare                
Vote entitled for each common share outstanding 1cgnx_VoteEntitledForEachCommonShareOutstanding   1cgnx_VoteEntitledForEachCommonShareOutstanding                
Common stock par value, in dollars per share $ 0.002us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare   $ 0.002us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare $ 0.002us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare     $ 0.002us-gaap_CommonStockParOrStatedValuePerShare        
Number of preferred stock purchase right for dividend distribution               1cgnx_NumberOfPreferredStockPurchaseRightForDividendDistribution      
Outstanding common share to be acquiring person 15.00%cgnx_CommonSharesToBeOwnedToBecomeAcquiringPerson   15.00%cgnx_CommonSharesToBeOwnedToBecomeAcquiringPerson                
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value     $ 59,673,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue $ 47,908,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue              
Cash dividend declared per common share $ 0us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared $ 0.055us-gaap_CommonStockDividendsPerShareDeclared                  
Special dividend declared and paid   $ 0.50cgnx_SpecialDividendPerShare                  
Common Stock [Member]                      
Class of Stock [Line Items]                      
Stock split ratio         2us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
2us-gaap_StockholdersEquityNoteStockSplitConversionRatio1
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
         
Common Stock [Member] | Repurchase Program 2008 [Member]                      
Class of Stock [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of authorized common stock                 50,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2008Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
   
Common Stock [Member] | Repurchase Program 2011 [Member]                      
Class of Stock [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of authorized common stock                   80,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
 
Aggregate stock repurchased, shares 2,243,000cgnx_Aggregatestockrepurchasedshares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
  2,243,000cgnx_Aggregatestockrepurchasedshares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
               
Aggregate stock repurchased, value 80,000,000cgnx_Aggregatestockrepurchasedvalue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
  80,000,000cgnx_Aggregatestockrepurchasedvalue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
               
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares     1,351,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
               
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value     52,095,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2011Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
               
Common Stock [Member] | Repurchase Program 2014 [Member]                      
Class of Stock [Line Items]                      
Repurchase of authorized common stock                     50,000,000us-gaap_StockRepurchaseProgramAuthorizedAmount1
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2014Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
Stock Repurchased During Period, Shares     183,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodShares
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2014Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember
               
Stock Repurchased During Period, Value     $ 7,578,000us-gaap_StockRepurchasedDuringPeriodValue
/ us-gaap_ShareRepurchaseProgramAxis
= cgnx_RepurchaseProgram2014Member
/ us-gaap_StatementClassOfStockAxis
= us-gaap_CommonStockMember