Capital Stock and Share-Based Compensation - Performance Stock Units Issued and Outstanding (Parenthetical) (Details) - 2010 Incentive Award Plan - Performance Stock Units	Dec. 31, 2018 $ / shares shares
Share Based Compensation Arrangement By Share Based Payment Award [Line Items]
Maximum number of PSUs available to be earned \| shares	274,000
Common stock fair value per share	$ 63.00
Performance stock units purchase price per share	$ 0

Share based compensation arrangement by share based payment award equity instruments other than options unvested maximum number of shares available to earn.

No definition available.

Name:	novt_ShareBasedCompensationArrangementByShareBasedPaymentAwardEquityInstrumentsOtherThanOptionsUnvestedMaximumNumberOfSharesAvailableToEarn
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:sharesItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant