CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended
		Mar. 29, 2019		Mar. 30, 2018
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenue		$ 157,186		$ 146,965
Cost of revenue		90,897		84,806
Gross profit		66,289		62,159
Operating expenses:
Research and development and engineering		13,997		11,989
Selling, general and administrative		31,847		29,220
Amortization of purchased intangible assets		3,998		3,698
Restructuring and acquisition related costs		2,054		25
Total operating expenses		51,896		44,932
Operating income		14,393		17,227
Interest income (expense), net		(2,044)		(2,358)
Foreign exchange transaction gains (losses), net		41		(407)
Other income (expense), net		(68)		(41)
Income before income taxes		12,322		14,421
Income tax provision		69		1,584
Consolidated net income		12,253	[1]	12,837	[2]
Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	[2]			(926)
Net income attributable to Novanta Inc.		$ 12,253	[1]	$ 11,911	[2]
Earnings per common share attributable to Novanta Inc. (Note 4):
Basic		$ 0.35	[1]	$ 0.19	[2]
Diluted		$ 0.35	[1]	$ 0.18	[2]
Weighted average common shares outstanding—basic		34,958	[1]	34,887	[2]
Weighted average common shares outstanding—diluted		35,474	[1]	35,428	[2]

[1] 45,252 non-GAAP EPS performance restricted stock units granted to certain members of the executive management team and 213,219 shares of restricted stock issued to Laser Quantum former non-controlling interest holders are considered contingently issuable shares and are excluded from the calculation of the denominator as the contingent conditions had not been met as of March 29, 2019.

[2] 53,968 non-GAAP EPS performance restricted stock units granted to certain members of the executive management team were considered contingently issuable shares and were excluded from the calculation of the denominator as the contingent conditions had not been met as of March 30, 2018.