Goodwill and Other Intangible Assets (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balances	$ 5,824,726	$ 4,710,691
Goodwill acquired	2,876,991	1,196,451
Goodwill related to divestiture of business		(20,524)
Currency translation adjustments	(52,047)	(62,016)
Reclassification and other	(2,528)	124
Balances	8,647,142	5,824,726	$ 4,710,691
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	4,590,520	3,312,795
Accumulated amortization	(934,677)	(783,799)
Net book value	3,655,843	2,528,996
Intangible Assets - Cost and Net Book Value [Abstract]
Net book value	3,655,843	2,528,996
Amortization expense of other intangible assets	201,000	164,000	153,000
Expected Amortization expense [Abstract]
2017	289,000
2018	283,000
2019	277,000
2020	268,000
2021	256,000
Medical And Scientific Imaging [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balances	3,039,197	2,594,356
Goodwill acquired	166,768	476,106
Goodwill related to divestiture of business		0
Currency translation adjustments	(19,100)	(31,556)
Reclassification and other	(1,794)	291
Balances	3,185,071	3,039,197	2,594,356
RF Technology [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balances	1,993,299	1,280,788
Goodwill acquired	2,710,223	720,345
Goodwill related to divestiture of business		0
Currency translation adjustments	(15,118)	(7,667)
Reclassification and other	(734)	(167)
Balances	4,687,670	1,993,299	1,280,788
Industrial Technology [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balances	374,033	408,964
Goodwill acquired	0	0
Goodwill related to divestiture of business		(20,524)
Currency translation adjustments	(10,055)	(14,407)
Reclassification and other	0	0
Balances	363,978	374,033	408,964
Energy Systems And Controls [Member]
Goodwill [Line Items]
Balances	418,197	426,583
Goodwill acquired	0	0
Goodwill related to divestiture of business		0
Currency translation adjustments	(7,774)	(8,386)
Reclassification and other	0	0
Balances	410,423	418,197	$ 426,583
Trade names [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Assets not subject to amortization	578,279	407,460
In Process Research and Development [Member]
Indefinite-lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Assets not subject to amortization	62,000
Customer Relationships [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	3,272,081	2,448,509
Accumulated amortization	(712,718)	(602,615)
Net book value	2,559,363	1,845,894
Unpatented Technology [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	462,152	270,170
Accumulated amortization	(144,025)	(117,405)
Net book value	318,127	152,765
Software [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	184,761	161,201
Accumulated amortization	(56,882)	(44,298)
Net book value	127,879	116,903
Patents and other protective rights [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	24,656	24,160
Accumulated amortization	(20,399)	(18,659)
Net book value	4,257	5,501
Backlog [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost		700
Accumulated amortization		(700)
Net book value		0
Trade names [Member]
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items]
Cost	6,591	595
Accumulated amortization	(653)	(122)
Net book value	$ 5,938	$ 473