Subsequent Events - Additional Information (Details)							1 Months Ended	3 Months Ended
	Feb. 21, 2017 shares	Feb. 17, 2017 USD ($) $ / shares	Feb. 02, 2017 shares	Jan. 23, 2017 USD ($) director $ / shares	Jan. 03, 2017 USD ($)	Jan. 26, 2016 USD ($)	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 24, 2017 USD ($)	Feb. 20, 2017 shares	Jan. 31, 2017 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2016 $ / shares shares	Dec. 31, 2015 $ / shares shares
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) | shares											10,000,000	10,000,000
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares											$ 0.01	$ 0.01
CMC Magnetic Corp Versus Imation | Pending Litigation | Parent Company
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Loss contingency, damages sought						$ 6,300,000	$ 7,200,000
Subsequent Event
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Noncontrolling interest, percentage held by parent				50.00%
Noncontrolling interest, percentage held by noncontrolling owners				50.00%
Additional common stock shares authorized | shares										1,500,000
Common stock, shares authorized (in shares) | shares	10,000,000								100,000,000
Common stock, par value (in dollars per share) | $ / shares		$ 0.01								$ 0.01
Reverse stock split conversion ratio	0.1
Payments to acquire interest in joint venture								$ 4,000,000
Subsequent Event | NXSN Acquisition Corp.
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Notes receivable				$ 25,000,000
Note receivable interest rate in year one and year two				5.00%
Note receivable interest rate in year three				8.00%
Transactions subject to change in interest rate, minimum value of Series A Preferred Stock to be sold				$ 10,000,000
Transactions subject to change in interest rate, period to sell Series A Preferred Stock				6 months
Transactions subject to interest rate change, period to incur certain one-time expenses				60 days
Note receivable, amount authorized for conversion				$ 10,000,000
Note receivable, conversion price (in dollars per share) | $ / shares				$ 1.25
Designation right of number of directors | director				2
Number of directors serving on the Board | director				5
Subsequent Event | Madison Avenue Capital Holdings, Inc.
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Common stock, shares issued (in shares) | shares			1,250,000
Lock-up period			3 years
Subsequent Event | CMC Magnetic Corp Versus Imation | Pending Litigation | Parent Company
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Loss contingency, damages sought					$ 23,000,000
Subsequent Event | IOENGINE LLC Versus Imation
Subsequent Event [Line Items]
Damages awarded against the company		$ (11,000,000)