FINANCING ARRANGEMENTS (Details 2) € in Millions, SFr in Millions				1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Nov. 30, 2013 USD ($)	Nov. 30, 2013 CHF (SFr)	Nov. 30, 2013 EUR (€)	Jul. 31, 2013 USD ($) Rate	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) Rate	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($) Rate	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2017 EUR (€)	Jan. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2013 CHF (SFr) Rate	May 31, 2013 USD ($) Rate	Oct. 31, 2009 USD ($) Rate	Oct. 31, 2009 CHF (SFr) Rate
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Borrowing capacity available for working capital and letter of credit purposes					$ 68,600,000.0
Borrowing capacity available for working capital need					51,300,000
Remaining borrowing capacity					59,600,000
Line of credit facility remaining capacity available for working capital					50,800,000
Term borrowings outstanding						$ 5,900,000
Interest paid					200,000	400,000	$ 300,000
Revolving Credit Facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding					$ 700,000
Jiaxing Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding						0
Kellenberger HH-GmbH revolving credit facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding						0
Debt instrument, collateral amount				$ 9,000,000						SFr 9.2
Debt instrument covenant equity as a percentage of total assets | Rate				35.00%						35.00%
Line of credit facility, unused capacity, commitment fee percentage				30.00%
Kellenberger credit facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Variable interest rate debt						0
Debt instrument, collateral amount												$ 2,900,000	SFr 3.0
Debt instrument covenant equity as a percentage of total assets | Rate												35.00%	35.00%
Domestic Facilities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding						$ 0
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable Rate | Rate					0.00%	2.50%
Unsecured domestic credit facility [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, amount outstanding					$ 0
Taiwan mortgage loan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate during period | Rate					0.00%	1.75%
Hardinge Machine (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. Credit Facility, Expiring August 2016 | Line of Credit [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Collateral cash deposit requirement, percent					30.00%
Forkardt term loan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Long-term debt											$ 23,000,000
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable Rate | Rate					0.00%	2.50%
Variable interest rate debt					$ 3,100,000
Investment owned, pledged flag | Rate											65.00%
Debt instrument covenant fixed charge coverage ratio covenant compliance measured over specified period | Rate					115.00%
Debt instrument covenant current ratio | Rate					100.00%
Debt instrument covenant maximum consolidated total leverage ratio covenant compliance measured over specified period | Rate					300.00%
Debt instrument covenant threshold on annual capital expenditures					$ 10,000,000
USD denominated Forkardt term loan [Member] [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Conversion of outstanding principal	$ 10,800,000
CHF denominated Forkardt term loan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument, basis spread on variable Rate | Rate					1.88%
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Amount	3,700,000	SFr 3.8
EUR denominated Forkardt term loan [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Variable interest rate debt					$ 2,900,000			€ 2.8
Debt Conversion, Converted Instrument, Amount	$ 5,300,000		€ 5.0
Long-term Debt, Current Maturities [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance costs									$ 70,000
Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Unamortized debt issuance costs									$ 20,000
Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member] | Other Current Assets [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Reclassification of deferred finance costs						$ 70,000
Accounting Standards Update 2015-03 [Member] | Other Noncurrent Assets [Member]
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Reclassification of deferred finance costs						$ 90,000