Amount of liability recognized arising from contingent consideration in an asset acquisition.

No definition available.

Name:	novt_AssetAcquisitionContingentConsiderationLiability
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Asset acquisition contingent consideration.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_AssetAcquisitionContingentConsiderationLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements, this element represents an estimate of the high-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_ContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueHigh
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

For contingent consideration arrangements, this element represents an estimate of the low-end of the potential range (undiscounted) of the consideration which may be paid.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_ContingentConsiderationArrangementsRangeOfOutcomesValueLow
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

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

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_DateOfAcquisitionAgreement
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Number of contingent consideration payment annual installments.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_NumberOfContingentConsiderationAnnualInstallments
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Payment for asset acquisition contingent consideration liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	novt_PaymentForAssetAcquisitionContingentConsiderationLiability
Namespace Prefix:	novt_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_FiniteLivedIntangibleAssetsByMajorClassAxis=novt_VideoSignalProcessingAndManagementTechnologiesMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	srt_StatementScenarioAxis=srt_ScenarioForecastMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

Fair Value Measurements - Asset Acquisition Contingent Consideration - Additional Information (Details) - Video Signal Processing and Management Technologies	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2020 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019 USD ($) Installment	Dec. 14, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 14, 2016 EUR (€)
Asset Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Date of Acquisition Agreement		Dec. 14, 2016
Number of contingent consideration annual installments \| Installment		4
Undiscounted range of outcomes, minimum \| €				€ 0
Undiscounted range of outcomes, maximum			$ 6,600,000	€ 5,500,000
Fair value of contingent consideration		$ 5,800,000
Scenario, Forecast
Asset Acquisition Contingent Consideration [Line Items]
Payment for contingent consideration	$ 2,600