SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Oct. 31, 2017

Selected Financial Statement Information [Abstract]

Schedule of Accounts, Notes, Loans and Financing Receivable [Table Text Block]

Accounts Receivable

	As of October 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Accounts receivable		$225,462			$205,386
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts	(3,006		)	(3,159		)
Accounts receivable, net		$222,456			$202,227

Costs And Estimated Earnings On Uncompleted Percentage Of Completion Contracts [Table Text Block]

Costs and Estimated Earnings on Uncompleted Percentage-of-Completion Contracts

	As of October 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts		$29,491			$19,086
Estimated earnings	19,902			13,887
	49,393			32,973
Less: Billings to date	(41,262		)	(39,142		)
		$8,131			($6,169	)
Included in the accompanying Consolidated Balance Sheets under the following captions:
Accounts receivable, net (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)		$9,377			$4,839
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)	(1,246		)	(11,008		)
		$8,131			($6,169	)

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories

	As of October 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Finished products		$173,559			$131,008
Work in process	39,986			36,076
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies	128,031			117,153
Contracts in process	2,415			3,253
Less: Billings to date	(363		)	(1,188		)
Inventories, net of valuation reserves		$343,628			$286,302

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

	As of October 31,
(in thousands)	2017			2016
Land		$5,435			$5,090
Buildings and improvements	91,916			79,205
Machinery, equipment and tooling	191,298			171,717
Construction in progress	5,553			10,453
	294,202			266,465
Less:  Accumulated depreciation and amortization	(164,319		)	(144,854		)
Property, plant and equipment, net		$129,883			$121,611

Schedule Of Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities [Table Text Block]

Accrued Expenses and Other Current Liabilities

	As of October 31,
(in thousands)	2017		2016
Accrued employee compensation and related payroll taxes		$78,058		$67,660
Deferred revenue	29,247		32,135
Accrued customer rebates and credits	12,866		11,881
Contingent consideration and other accrued purchase consideration	7,588		6,918
Other	19,853		17,459
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities		$147,612		$136,053

Schedule of Research and Development Expenses [Table Text Block]

The amount of new product research and development ("R&D") expenses included in cost of sales is as follows (in thousands):

	Year ended October 31,
	2017		2016		2015
R&D expenses		$46,473		$44,726		$38,747

Schedule of Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss) [Table Text Block]

Changes in the components of accumulated other comprehensive loss during fiscal 2017 and 2016 are as follows (in thousands):

	Foreign Currency Translation			Pension Benefit Obligation			Accumulated Other Comprehensive Loss
Balances as of October 31, 2015		($24,368	)		($712	)		($25,080	)
Unrealized gain (loss)	415			(661		)	(246		)
Balances as of October 31, 2016	(23,953		)	(1,373		)	(25,326		)
Unrealized gain	14,420			321			14,741
Amortization of unrealized loss	—			29			29
Balances as of October 31, 2017		($9,533	)		($1,023	)		($10,556	)