Number of contingent consideration payment installments.

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
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- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Date when the business acquisition agreement was executed, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase (decrease) in the value of a contingent consideration liability, including, but not limited to, differences arising upon settlement.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 4
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e7008-128479

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements and indemnification assets recognized in connection with a business combination, this element represents an estimate of the low-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_BusinessCombinationContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueLow
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of liability recognized arising from contingent consideration in a business combination.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=35744584&loc=d3e6927-128479

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 35
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911338&loc=d3e6819-128478

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 805
-SubTopic 30
-Section 25
-Paragraph 6
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6911189&loc=d3e6408-128476

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

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- Details

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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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Fair Value Measurements - Additional Information (Details) $ in Thousands	1 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Jun. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($) Installment	Dec. 18, 2015 USD ($)	Nov. 09, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 19, 2015 USD ($)
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Contingent consideration adjustment			$ 1,427
Skyetek Inc.
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of contingent consideration		$ 200	200
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, minimum				$ 0
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, maximum				$ 300
Lincoln Laser Company
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of contingent consideration		2,300	2,600
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, minimum					$ 0
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, maximum					$ 6,000
Contingent consideration adjustment	$ 300		300
Applimotion Inc.
Business Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Estimated fair value of contingent consideration		1,400	2,500			$ 1,000
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, minimum						0
Undiscounted range of contingent consideration, maximum						$ 4,000
Contingent consideration adjustment	$ 1,100	$ 400	$ 1,100
Business combination, date of agreement			Feb. 19, 2015
Number of contingent consideration installments \| Installment			2