Commitments and Contingencies (Details 3) (USD $) In Millions, unless otherwise specified	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2012 Claim
Commercial Litigation - Cogent Inc. Delaware Court of Chancery
Loss contingencies
Number of Cogent, Inc. shares held by subsidiary shareholders that have asserted appraisal rights	5.8
Number of lawsuits filed	3
Commercial Litigation - Avery Dennison
Loss contingencies
Number of Avery patents for which 3M seeks a declaratory judgment	2
Total number of disputed terms ruled in favor of the company	16
Total number of disputed terms	19
Commercial Litigation - Meda AB
Loss contingencies
The estimated minimum amount the lawsuit seeks to recover	200

The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef

-Publisher FASB

-Name Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (FAS)

-Number 5

-Paragraph 9, 10, 11, 12

-LegacyDoc This reference is SUPERSEDED by the Accounting Standards Codification effective for interim and annual periods ending after September 15, 2009. This reference is included to help users transition from the previous accounting hierarchy and will be removed from future versions of this taxonomy.

Name:	us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration