Selected Quarterly Financial Data (Schedule Of Selected Quarterly Financial Data) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Sep. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2017	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Sep. 30, 2016	Jun. 30, 2016	Mar. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015		Sep. 30, 2015		Jun. 30, 2015		Mar. 31, 2015		Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Selected Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Consolidated revenue	$ 177,264	$ 152,907	$ 159,467	$ 156,431	$ 165,937	$ 156,362	$ 158,111	$ 152,555	$ 183,363		$ 151,574		$ 170,504		$ 160,722		$ 646,069	$ 632,965	$ 666,163
Gross profit	85,458	58,522	80,673	80,186	82,890	68,937	80,411	77,513	60,160		71,038		81,627		78,984		304,839	309,751	291,809
Total operating expenses	91,161	90,857	87,537	89,257	78,817	90,954	84,128	94,272	626,081		105,675		105,469		96,508		358,812	348,171	933,733
Income (loss) from operations	(5,703)	(32,335)	(6,864)	(9,071)	4,073	(22,017)	(3,717)	(16,759)	(565,921)	[1]	(34,637)	[1]	(23,842)	[1]	(17,524)	[1]	(53,973)	(38,420)	(641,924)
Provision (benefit) for income taxes	971	3,723	2,067	1,041	(1,212)	(2,214)	1,700	1,179	29,535		(3,524)		(10,096)		(6,943)		7,802	(547)	8,972
Net income (loss) attributable to 3D Systems	$ (10,134)	$ (37,670)	$ (8,416)	$ (9,971)	$ 5,230	$ (21,213)	$ (4,648)	$ (17,788)	$ (596,366)		$ (32,249)		$ (13,696)		$ (13,181)		$ (66,191)	$ (38,419)	$ (655,492)
Basic and diluted net income (loss) per share	$ (0.08)	$ (0.34)	$ (0.08)	$ (0.09)	$ 0.05	$ (0.19)	$ (0.04)	$ (0.16)	$ (5.32)		$ (0.29)		$ (0.12)		$ (0.12)		$ (0.59)	$ (0.35)	$ (5.85)
Impairment of goodwill and other intangible assets									$ 443,659										$ 537,179
Finite lives impairment charge									$ 93,520								$ 0	$ 0	93,520
Cash charge related to shift from consumer products and services																			8,771
Non-cash charge related to shift from consumer products and services																			$ 18,619

[1] For the quarter ended December 31, 2015, loss from operations includes $443,659 of impairment charges related to goodwill and $93,520 of impairment charges related to other intangible assets. In addition, the Company recognized cash and non-cash charges related to the end of life of the Cube printer and shift from consumer products and services, which totaled $8,771 and $18,619, respectively. See Notes 2, 4, 6 and 7 to the Consolidated Financial Statements.