General (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Oct. 01, 2017
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	Basis of Presentation The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements have been prepared by Teledyne Technologies Incorporated (“Teledyne” or the “Company”) pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. Certain information and disclosures normally included in notes to consolidated financial statements have been condensed or omitted pursuant to such rules and regulations, but resultant disclosures are in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States (“GAAP”) as they apply to interim reporting. The condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the consolidated financial statements and the related notes in Teledyne’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended January 1, 2017 (“2016 Form 10-K”). In the opinion of Teledyne’s management, the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of normal recurring adjustments) necessary to present fairly, in all material respects, Teledyne’s consolidated financial position as of October 1, 2017 and the consolidated results of operations and consolidated comprehensive income for the three and nine months then ended and cash flows for the nine months then ended. The results of operations and cash flows for the period ended October 1, 2017 are not necessarily indicative of the results of operations or cash flows to be expected for any subsequent quarter or the full fiscal year. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current period presentation.
Recent Accounting Pronouncements	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the computation of the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, entities will record a goodwill impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value. The new standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We expect the adoption of this standard will reduce the complexity surrounding the evaluation of goodwill for impairment. The impact of this new standard for the Company will depend on the outcomes of future goodwill impairment tests. In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost.” This ASU requires the service cost component of net benefit costs to be disaggregated from all other components and be reported in the same line item or items as other compensation costs and allow only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and before income from operations. This ASU is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the amendments in this update will be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the components of net benefit cost, and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component of net benefit cost. The adoption of this standard will not impact pre-tax income or earnings per share reported for the years ended December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2017 and is not expected to materially impact pre-tax income or earnings per share for the year ended December 30, 2018. The impacts to operating income from the re-classification of the other components of net benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2017 are immaterial. The impacts to operating income from the re-classification of the other components on net benefit cost for the year ended December 31, 2018 will be known when the Company measures its plan assets and benefit obligations as of December 31, 2017. In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which provides a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and will supersede most current revenue recognition guidance. The new standard, as subsequently amended, is effective for Teledyne for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The new standard can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption. Under the new standard, an entity recognizes revenue when or as it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control of a good or service to the customer, either at a point in time or over time. Under the new standard, Teledyne expects to recognize revenue over time on most of its contracts that are covered by contract accounting standards using cost inputs to measure progress toward completion of its performance obligations, which is similar to the percentage-of-completion (“POC”) cost-to-cost method currently used on certain of these contracts. Therefore, adoption of the ASU will primarily impact our contracts for which revenue is currently recognized using the POC units-of-delivery and milestone methods as we expect to recognize revenue for these contracts over time using the POC cost-to-cost method. These contracts represent approximately half of the revenue currently recognized under the POC method. The percentage of Teledyne revenue recognized using any POC method was 30.5% in 2016, 31.2% in 2015, and 28.7% in 2014. Also, to a lesser extent, we expect certain ship and bill contracts for custom products and products sold to the U.S. Government, as well as service and repair contracts will be recognized over time. Accordingly, revenue will be recognized earlier in the performance period as costs are incurred, as opposed to recognizing revenue when units are delivered, milestones achieved or services performed. This change will also impact our backlog and balance sheet presentation with an expected decrease in inventories, an increase in accounts receivable (i.e., unbilled receivables) and a net increase to retained earnings to primarily reflect the impact of converting certain ship and bill contracts and contracts currently applying the units-of-delivery and milestone methods to the cost-to-cost method for recognizing revenue and profits. The Company will adopt the standard as of January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective transition method and is currently quantifying the impact of the adoption on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. Under the modified retrospective transition method, the Company will be required to calculate and record the cumulative-effect of adopting the new standard as of January 1, 2018, in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2018. The impact of adopting the new standard to retained earnings is not known at this time, as it will be dependent on the affected contracts that have not been substantially completed as of December 31, 2017. In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” This ASU better aligns an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships. This ASU expands and refines hedge accounting for both nonfinancial and financial risk components, and this ASU simplifies and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and for interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted. Teledyne is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In January 2017, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2017-04, Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment, which eliminates the computation of the implied fair value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, entities will record a goodwill impairment charge based on the excess of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value. The new standard is effective for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2019, with early adoption permitted. We expect the adoption of this standard will reduce the complexity surrounding the evaluation of goodwill for impairment. The impact of this new standard for the Company will depend on the outcomes of future goodwill impairment tests.

In March 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-07, “Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost.” This ASU requires the service cost component of net benefit costs to be disaggregated from all other components and be reported in the same line item or items as other compensation costs and allow only the service cost component to be eligible for capitalization when applicable. The other components of net benefit cost are required to be presented in the income statement separately from the service cost component and before income from operations. This ASU is effective for the Company for interim and annual periods beginning January 1, 2018. Upon adoption, the amendments in this update will be applied retrospectively for the presentation of the components of net benefit cost, and prospectively for the capitalization of the service cost component of net benefit cost. The adoption of this standard will not impact pre-tax income or earnings per share reported for the years ended December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2017 and is not expected to materially impact pre-tax income or earnings per share for the year ended December 30, 2018. The impacts to operating income from the re-classification of the other components of net benefit cost for the years ended December 31, 2017 and January 1, 2017 are immaterial. The impacts to operating income from the re-classification of the other components on net benefit cost for the year ended December 31, 2018 will be known when the Company measures its plan assets and benefit obligations as of December 31, 2017.

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, which provides a single comprehensive model for entities to use in accounting for revenue arising from contracts with customers and will supersede most current revenue recognition guidance. The new standard, as subsequently amended, is effective for Teledyne for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2017, with early adoption permitted for interim and annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016. The new standard can be adopted either retrospectively to each prior reporting period presented or as a cumulative-effect adjustment as of the date of adoption.

Under the new standard, an entity recognizes revenue when or as it satisfies a performance obligation by transferring control of a good or service to the customer, either at a point in time or over time. Under the new standard, Teledyne expects to recognize revenue over time on most of its contracts that are covered by contract accounting standards using cost inputs to measure progress toward completion of its performance obligations, which is similar to the percentage-of-completion (“POC”) cost-to-cost method currently used on certain of these contracts. Therefore, adoption of the ASU will primarily impact our contracts for which revenue is currently recognized using the POC units-of-delivery and milestone methods as we expect to recognize revenue for these contracts over time using the POC cost-to-cost method. These contracts represent approximately half of the revenue currently recognized under the POC method. The percentage of Teledyne revenue recognized using any POC method was 30.5% in 2016, 31.2% in 2015, and 28.7% in 2014. Also, to a lesser extent, we expect certain ship and bill contracts for custom products and products sold to the U.S. Government, as well as service and repair contracts will be recognized over time. Accordingly, revenue will be recognized earlier in the performance period as costs are incurred, as opposed to recognizing revenue when units are delivered, milestones achieved or services performed. This change will also impact our backlog and balance sheet presentation with an expected decrease in inventories, an increase in accounts receivable (i.e., unbilled receivables) and a net increase to retained earnings to primarily reflect the impact of converting certain ship and bill contracts and contracts currently applying the units-of-delivery and milestone methods to the cost-to-cost method for recognizing revenue and profits.

The Company will adopt the standard as of January 1, 2018, using the modified retrospective transition method and is currently quantifying the impact of the adoption on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. Under the modified retrospective transition method, the Company will be required to calculate and record the cumulative-effect of adopting the new standard as of January 1, 2018, in the Company’s Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the first quarter of 2018. The impact of adopting the new standard to retained earnings is not known at this time, as it will be dependent on the affected contracts that have not been substantially completed as of December 31, 2017.

In August 2017, the FASB issued ASU No. 2017-12, “Derivatives and Hedging (Topic 815) Targeted Improvements to Accounting for Hedging Activities.” This ASU better aligns an entity’s risk management activities and financial reporting for hedging relationships. This ASU expands and refines hedge accounting for both nonfinancial and financial risk components, and this ASU simplifies and aligns the recognition and presentation of the effects of the hedging instrument and the hedged item in the financial statements. This ASU is effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018 and for interim periods therein, with early adoption permitted. Teledyne is currently evaluating the impact this guidance will have on the consolidated financial statements and footnote disclosures.