Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) - USD ($) $ / shares in Units, $ in Millions	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2017	Oct. 02, 2016	Jul. 03, 2016	Apr. 03, 2016	Jan. 03, 2016	Sep. 27, 2015	Jun. 28, 2015	Mar. 29, 2015	Jan. 01, 2017	Jan. 03, 2016	Dec. 28, 2014
Quarterly Financial Data [Abstract]
Net Sales	$ 552.9	$ 526.8	$ 539.7	$ 530.5	$ 600.0	$ 555.4	$ 577.7	$ 565.0	$ 2,149.9	$ 2,298.1	$ 2,394.0
Costs and expenses
Cost of sales	340.0	317.0	336.2	324.8	378.4	345.8	357.7	345.9	1,318.0	1,427.8	1,487.1
Selling, general and administrative expenses	142.4	141.0	149.9	144.8	145.6	140.1	151.1	151.8	578.1	588.6	612.4
Total costs and expenses	482.4	458.0	486.1	469.6	524.0	485.9	508.8	497.7	1,896.1	2,016.4	2,099.5
Operating income	70.5	68.8	53.6	60.9	76.0	69.5	68.9	67.3	253.8	281.7	294.5
Interest and debt expense, net	(6.0)	(5.6)	(5.9)	(5.7)	(6.0)	(6.0)	(6.0)	(5.9)	(23.2)	(23.9)	(19.0)
Other income, net	(4.4)	(0.8)	17.2	(1.3)	(1.7)	(2.1)	3.4	0.8	10.7	0.4	6.6
Income before income taxes	60.1	62.4	64.9	53.9	68.3	61.4	66.3	62.2	241.3	258.2	282.1
Provision for income taxes	7.1	10.4	18.0	14.9	12.8	13.1	18.3	18.5	50.4	62.7	66.5
Net income					55.5	48.3	48.0	43.7	190.9	195.5	215.6
Noncontrolling interest					0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	0.3	2.1
Net income attributable to Teledyne	$ 53.0	$ 52.0	46.9	$ 39.0	$ 55.5	$ 48.3	$ 48.3	$ 43.7	$ 190.9	$ 195.8	$ 217.7
Gain (loss) on sale of properties			$ 17.9
Basic earnings per share
Basic earnings per common share (in USD per share)	$ 1.52	$ 1.50	$ 1.36	$ 1.13	$ 1.59	$ 1.37	$ 1.37	$ 1.22	$ 5.52	$ 5.55	$ 5.87
Diluted earnings per share
Diluted earnings per common share (in USD per share)	$ 1.48	$ 1.46	$ 1.33	$ 1.11	$ 1.57	$ 1.34	$ 1.34	$ 1.20	$ 5.37	$ 5.44	$ 5.75
Net discrete income tax expense (benefit)	$ (9.4)	$ (6.6)	$ 5.7	$ (0.6)	$ (1.3)	$ (7.4)	$ (1.3)	$ 0.2
Additional income tax benefits recognized as an increase to net income from adoption of accounting standard			$ 1.2	$ 0.6					$ 8.5
e2v
Costs and expenses
Acquisition transaction costs	$ 5.5								$ 5.5