Acquisitions (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended					3 Months Ended						1 Months Ended		1 Months Ended				12 Months Ended						0 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Mar. 31, 2012 SkyScan N.V.	Mar. 31, 2012 SkyScan N.V. Maximum	Mar. 31, 2012 SkyScan N.V. Existing technology year	Mar. 31, 2012 SkyScan N.V. Customer and distributor relationships year	Oct. 31, 2011 Tribology business	Oct. 31, 2011 Tribology business Existing technology	Oct. 31, 2011 Tribology business Customer and distributor relationships	Oct. 31, 2011 Tribology business In-process research and development	Apr. 30, 2011 HPLC business	Dec. 31, 2011 HPLC business	Apr. 30, 2011 HPLC business Restricted common stock year	Apr. 30, 2011 HPLC business Existing technology year	Apr. 30, 2011 HPLC business Customer and distributor relationships year	Apr. 30, 2011 HPLC business Trade names year	Dec. 31, 2011 Nano surfaces business	Dec. 31, 2010 Nano surfaces business	Oct. 31, 2010 Nano surfaces business	Oct. 31, 2010 Nano surfaces business Existing technology	Oct. 31, 2010 Nano surfaces business Customer and distributor relationships	Oct. 31, 2010 Nano surfaces business In-process research and development	May 31, 2010 Agilent Technologies, Inc. item	May 31, 2010 Chemical Analysis	May 31, 2010 Chemical Analysis Existing technology	May 31, 2010 Chemical Analysis Customer and distributor relationships
Consideration Transferred:
Cash paid				$ 24.6				$ 12.7				$ 1.1								$ 230.4					$ 37.5
Stock issued												2.9
Cash acquired				(2.9)				(0.2)				(0.2)
Contingent consideration				3.7
Total consideration transferred				25.4				12.5				3.8								230.4					37.5
Shares of common stock issued												134,362		156,823
Allocation of Consideration Transferred:
Accounts receivable				3.1				1.5				0.2								21.8
Notes Receivable																									10.3
Inventories				6.6				1.0				1.3								33.5					16.9
Other current assets				0.3																8.1
Property, plant and equipment				2.3								0.2								18.0					2.4
Intangible assets						7.2	6.4		12.0	0.6	0.1				1.3	1.5	0.1				89.7	1.5	21.3			7.1	15.8
Goodwill				10.3				3.5				1.2								49.0					0.4
Liabilities assumed				(10.8)				(6.2)				(2.0)								(12.5)					(15.4)
Total consideration transferred				25.4				12.5				3.8								230.4					37.5
Contingent consideration arrangement					5.9			1.5
Purchase price paid into escrow								1.6				0.1								22.9
Vesting period (in years)														5
Percentage of total shares paid into escrow												10.00%
Closing market price of the Company`s common shares (in dollars per share)												$ 21.28
Weighted average amortization period (in years)						7	10								7.1	6.8	1
Number of product lines acquired																								3
Transaction cost included in other charges		3.1	4.6										1.1
Cash consideration financed through revolving credit agreement																				167.6
Measurement period adjustments made to the acquisition date fair values																		2.0
Transition costs		3.0	2.8
Professional fees	(0.1)	1.2	1.8
Pro forma financial information
Revenue																			1,410.7
Net income attributable to Bruker Corporation																			$ 97.0
Net income per common share attributable to Bruker Corporation shareholders:
Basic (in dollars per share)																			$ 0.59
Diluted (in dollars per share)																			$ 0.59