SELECTED FINANCIAL STATEMENT INFORMATION (Tables)

9 Months Ended

Jul. 31, 2011

Selected Financial Statement Information (Tables) [Abstract]

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

Accounts Receivable

	July 31, 2011			October 31, 2010
Accounts receivable	$	102,666,000		$	94,283,000
Less:  Allowance for doubtful accounts		(2,244,000	)		(2,468,000	)
Accounts receivable, net	$	100,422,000		$	91,815,000

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

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

	July 31, 2011			October 31, 2010
Costs incurred on uncompleted contracts	$	4,442,000		$	6,323,000
Estimated earnings		4,059,000			7,603,000
		8,501,000			13,926,000
Less:  Billings to date		(4,876,000	)		(8,967,000	)
	$	3,625,000		$	4,959,000
Included in the accompanying Condensed Consolidated
Balance Sheets under the following captions:
Accounts receivable, net (costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings)	$	3,625,000		$	5,135,000
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities (billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings)		—			(176,000	)
	$	3,625,000		$	4,959,000

Schedule of Inventory, Current [Table Text Block]

Inventories

	July 31, 2011		October 31, 2010
Finished products	$	82,351,000	$	72,263,000
Work in process		24,217,000		19,034,000
Materials, parts, assemblies and supplies		49,001,000		46,918,000
Inventories, net of valuation reserves	$	155,569,000	$	138,215,000

Property, Plant and Equipment [Table Text Block]

Property, Plant and Equipment

	July 31, 2011			October 31, 2010
Land	$	3,656,000		$	3,656,000
Buildings and improvements		39,493,000			38,772,000
Machinery, equipment and tooling		92,423,000			85,095,000
Construction in progress		2,164,000			6,319,000
		137,736,000			133,842,000
Less:  Accumulated depreciation and amortization		(80,749,000	)		(74,839,000	)
Property, plant and equipment, net	$	56,987,000		$	59,003,000