Segment Data (Segment Results) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011	Sep. 30, 2011	Jul. 01, 2011	Apr. 01, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Oct. 01, 2010	Jul. 02, 2010	Apr. 02, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Sales	$ 4,716,600,000	$ 4,445,800,000	$ 3,635,900,000	$ 3,292,200,000	$ 3,433,000,000	$ 3,026,900,000	$ 3,149,500,000	$ 2,940,600,000	$ 16,090,540,000	$ 12,550,033,000	$ 10,516,681,000
Operating Profit	779,200,000	643,100,000	610,000,000	584,900,000	592,300,000	540,900,000	504,500,000	411,900,000	2,617,226,000	2,049,620,000	1,439,682,000
Identifiable Assets	29,949,447,000				22,217,130,000				29,949,447,000	22,217,130,000
Depreciation and Amortization									634,900,000	388,300,000	331,800,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									334,500,000	191,100,000	175,400,000
Test & Measurement [Member]
Sales									3,390,900,000	2,832,900,000	2,221,300,000
Operating Profit									751,200,000	572,900,000	301,400,000
Identifiable Assets	5,280,600,000				5,322,900,000				5,280,600,000	5,322,900,000	4,577,700,000
Depreciation and Amortization									126,600,000	107,700,000	93,500,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									37,700,000	35,600,000	25,300,000
Environmental [Member]
Sales									2,939,600,000	2,738,000,000	2,418,700,000
Operating Profit									622,700,000	564,300,000	471,000,000
Identifiable Assets	2,784,800,000				2,634,900,000				2,784,800,000	2,634,900,000	2,591,300,000
Depreciation and Amortization									45,900,000	45,900,000	43,100,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									29,100,000	25,400,000	22,800,000
Life Sciences & Diagnostics [Member]
Sales									4,627,400,000	2,298,300,000	1,484,900,000
Operating Profit									402,300,000	227,900,000	179,600,000
Identifiable Assets	12,888,400,000				4,071,700,000				12,888,400,000	4,071,700,000	2,609,500,000
Depreciation and Amortization									297,200,000	90,700,000	56,600,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									167,000,000	49,600,000	25,700,000
Dental [Member]
Sales									2,011,200,000	1,824,600,000	1,657,000,000
Operating Profit									236,100,000	203,300,000	215,900,000
Identifiable Assets	4,047,500,000				4,120,200,000				4,047,500,000	4,120,200,000	3,947,800,000
Depreciation and Amortization									94,000,000	81,700,000	71,300,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									35,400,000	31,800,000	28,500,000
Industrial Technologies [Member]
Sales									3,121,400,000	2,540,600,000	2,126,900,000
Operating Profit									655,000,000	513,300,000	297,500,000
Identifiable Assets	3,394,900,000				2,876,800,000				3,394,900,000	2,876,800,000	2,796,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization									65,800,000	51,500,000	51,500,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									51,300,000	35,400,000	36,600,000
Businesses Contributed To Apex Joint Venture [Member]
Sales										315,600,000	607,900,000
Operating Profit										41,500,000	63,900,000
Identifiable Assets											399,000,000
Depreciation and Amortization										6,200,000	13,800,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross										6,900,000	9,400,000
Equity Method Earnings Subsequent To JV Formation [Member]
Operating Profit									66,800,000	22,800,000
Other [Member]
Operating Profit									(116,900,000)	(96,400,000)	(89,600,000)
Identifiable Assets	1,553,200,000				3,190,600,000				1,553,200,000	3,190,600,000	2,674,100,000
Depreciation and Amortization									5,400,000	4,600,000	2,000,000
Capital Expenditures, Gross									$ 14,000,000	$ 6,400,000	$ 27,100,000