CONSOLIDATED STATEMENT OF INCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 3,398,719	$ 3,116,350	$ 3,023,189
Cost of goods sold	1,919,718	1,717,280	1,671,590
Gross profit	1,479,001	1,399,070	1,351,599
Research and development expenses	286,026	254,263	246,101
Selling and administrative expenses	557,311	566,224	494,517
Restructuring and other charges, net	19,711	(1,700)	7,594
Amortization of acquisition-related intangibles	34,694	23,763	15,040
Gain on sales of fixed assets	(184)	(10,836)	0
Operating profit	581,443	567,356	588,347
Interest expense	65,363	52,989	46,062
Other (income) expense, net	(20,965)	(9,350)	3,184
Income before taxes	537,045	523,717	539,101
Taxes on income	241,380	118,686	119,854
Net income	295,665	405,031	419,247
Other comprehensive income (loss):
Foreign currency translation adjustments	54,609	(54,526)	(124,157)
Losses on derivatives qualifying as hedges	(17,936)	(1,797)	(2,970)
Pension and postretirement liability adjustment	5,940	(10,332)	54,117
Comprehensive income	$ 338,278	$ 338,376	$ 346,237
Net income per share - basic (in dollars per share)	$ 3.73	$ 5.07	$ 5.19
Net income per share - diluted (in dollars per share)	$ 3.72	$ 5.05	$ 5.16
Average number of shares outstanding - basic (in shares)	79,070	79,648	80,449
Average number of shares outstanding - diluted (in shares)	79,370	79,981	80,891
Dividends declared per share (in dollars per share)	$ 2.66	$ 2.40	$ 2.06