Debt - Credit Agreements (Details) $ in Millions	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2017 USD ($)
Revolving lines of credit
Maximum commitment	$ 734.6
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan
Revolving lines of credit
Maximum commitment	$ 500.0
Maximum leverage ratio allowed	3.5
Minimum interest coverage ratio required	2.5
Actual leverage ratio	1.39
Actual interest coverage ratio	14.9
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Minimum
Revolving lines of credit
Facility fee (as a percent)	0.10%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Maximum
Revolving lines of credit
Facility fee (as a percent)	0.20%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Greatest of prime rate, federal funds rate plus spread and adjusted LIBOR plus spread \| Minimum
Revolving lines of credit
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	0.00%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Greatest of prime rate, federal funds rate plus spread and adjusted LIBOR plus spread \| Maximum
Revolving lines of credit
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	0.30%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Prime rate
Revolving lines of credit
Variable interest rate base	prime rate
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Federal funds rate
Revolving lines of credit
Variable interest rate base	federal funds rate
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	0.50%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| Adjusted LIBOR
Revolving lines of credit
Variable interest rate base	adjusted LIBOR
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	1.00%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| LIBOR
Revolving lines of credit
Variable interest rate base	LIBOR
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| LIBOR \| Minimum
Revolving lines of credit
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	0.90%
2015 Credit Agreement \| US Dollar revolving loan \| LIBOR \| Maximum
Revolving lines of credit
Interest rate added to base rate (as a percent)	1.30%

The entity's actual interest coverage ratio, calculated as defined in the terms of the debt agreement.

No definition available.

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentActualInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The entity's actual leverage ratio, calculated as defined in the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentActualLeverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The minimum interest coverage ratio required to be maintained under the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentCovenantInterestCoverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The maximum leverage ratio allowed under the terms of the debt agreement.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentCovenantLeverageRatio
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	xbrli:pureItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The facility fee on the debt instrument, expressed as a percentage of the total borrowing capacity.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	brkr_DebtInstrumentFacilityFeePercentage
Namespace Prefix:	brkr_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Percentage points added to the reference rate to compute the variable rate on the debt instrument.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentBasisSpreadOnVariableRate1
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The reference rate for the variable rate of the debt instrument, such as LIBOR or the US Treasury rate and the maturity of the reference rate used, such as three months or six months LIBOR.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentDescriptionOfVariableRateBasis
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityAbstract
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Maximum borrowing capacity under the credit facility without consideration of any current restrictions on the amount that could be borrowed or the amounts currently outstanding under the facility.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.19(b),22(b))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6877327&loc=d3e13212-122682

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_LineOfCreditFacilityMaximumBorrowingCapacity
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_DebtInstrumentAxis=brkr_CreditAgreement2015Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_CreditFacilityAxis=us-gaap_DomesticLineOfCreditMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MinimumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RangeAxis=us-gaap_MaximumMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_BaseRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_PrimeRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=brkr_FederalFundsRateMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=brkr_AdjustedLondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_VariableRateAxis=us-gaap_LondonInterbankOfferedRateLIBORMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: