Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies and Estimates	9 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2012
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	BASIS OF PRESENTATION Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“we”, “us”, “our”, “Advanced Energy”, or the “Company”) design, manufacture, sell, and support power conversion products that transform power into various usable forms. Our products enable manufacturing processes that use thin-film deposition for various products, such as semiconductor devices, flat panel displays, solar panels, and architectural glass. We also supply thermal and Infra-Red measurement instrumentation products for advanced temperature measurement and control in the thin-film processing as well as melt height measurement in crystal growth processes. Our solar inverter products support renewable power generation solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar projects and installations. Our network of global service support centers offer repair services, conversions, upgrades, and refurbishments to companies using our products. We also offer a wide variety of operations and maintenance service plans that can be tailored for individual photovoltaic (“PV”) sites of all sizes. We are organized into two strategic business units ("SBU") based on the products and services provided. Thin Films Processing Power Conversion and Thermal Instrumentation (“Thin Films”) SBU offers our products for direct current (“DC”), pulsed DC mid frequency, and radio frequency (“RF”) power supplies, matching networks and RF instrumentation as well as thermal instrumentation products. Solar Energy SBU offers both a transformer-based or transformerless advanced grid-tied PV inverter solution for commercial and utility-scale system installations and transformer-based solutions for residential installations. Our PV inverters are designed to convert renewable solar power, drawn from large and small scale solar arrays, into high-quality, reliable electrical power. In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company at September 30, 2012, and the results of our operations and cash flows for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011. The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and other financial information filed with the SEC. ESTIMATES AND ASSUMPTIONS The preparation of our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. We believe that the significant estimates, assumptions, and judgments when accounting for items and matters such as allowances for doubtful accounts, excess and obsolete inventory, warranty reserves, acquisitions, asset valuations, goodwill, asset life, depreciation, amortization, recoverability of assets, impairments, deferred revenue, stock option and restricted stock grants, taxes, and other provisions are reasonable, based upon information available at the time they are made. Actual results may differ from these estimates, making it possible that a change in these estimates could occur in the near term. REVENUE RECOGNITION Our accounting policies are described in our audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011. NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") or other standards setting bodies issue new accounting pronouncements. Updates to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) are communicated through issuance of an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”). Unless otherwise discussed, we believe that the impact of recently issued guidance, whether adopted or to be adopted in the future, is not expected to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements upon adoption.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., a Delaware corporation, and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (“we”, “us”, “our”, “Advanced Energy”, or the “Company”) design, manufacture, sell, and support power conversion products that transform power into various usable forms. Our products enable manufacturing processes that use thin-film deposition for various products, such as semiconductor devices, flat panel displays, solar panels, and architectural glass. We also supply thermal and Infra-Red measurement instrumentation products for advanced temperature measurement and control in the thin-film processing as well as melt height measurement in crystal growth processes. Our solar inverter products support renewable power generation solutions for residential, commercial, and utility-scale solar projects and installations. Our network of global service support centers offer repair services, conversions, upgrades, and refurbishments to companies using our products. We also offer a wide variety of operations and maintenance service plans that can be tailored for individual photovoltaic (“PV”) sites of all sizes.

We are organized into two strategic business units ("SBU") based on the products and services provided.

Thin Films Processing Power Conversion and Thermal Instrumentation (“Thin Films”) SBU offers our products for direct current (“DC”), pulsed DC mid frequency, and radio frequency (“RF”) power supplies, matching networks and RF instrumentation as well as thermal instrumentation products.

Solar Energy SBU offers both a transformer-based or transformerless advanced grid-tied PV inverter solution for commercial and utility-scale system installations and transformer-based solutions for residential installations. Our PV inverters are designed to convert renewable solar power, drawn from large and small scale solar arrays, into high-quality, reliable electrical power.

In the opinion of management, the accompanying unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements contain all adjustments, consisting of normal, recurring adjustments, necessary to present fairly the financial position of the Company at September 30, 2012, and the results of our operations and cash flows for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2012 and 2011.

The Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). Certain information and footnote disclosures normally included in financial statements prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”) have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations. These unaudited Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 and other financial information filed with the SEC.

ESTIMATES AND ASSUMPTIONS

The preparation of our Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires us to make estimates, assumptions and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenue and expenses during the reporting period. We believe that the significant estimates, assumptions, and judgments when accounting for items and matters such as allowances for doubtful accounts, excess and obsolete inventory, warranty reserves, acquisitions, asset valuations, goodwill, asset life, depreciation, amortization, recoverability of assets, impairments, deferred revenue, stock option and restricted stock grants, taxes, and other provisions are reasonable, based upon information available at the time they are made. Actual results may differ from these estimates, making it possible that a change in these estimates could occur in the near term.

REVENUE RECOGNITION

Our accounting policies are described in our audited Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto contained in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2011.

NEW ACCOUNTING STANDARDS

From time to time, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") or other standards setting bodies issue new accounting pronouncements. Updates to the FASB Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) are communicated through issuance of an Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”). Unless otherwise discussed, we believe that the impact of recently issued guidance, whether adopted or to be adopted in the future, is not expected to have a material impact on the Condensed Consolidated Financial Statements upon adoption.