Contingent Matters	6 Months Ended
Jun. 30, 2018
Contingent Matters [Abstract]
Contingent Matters	Note 13. Contingent Matters Certain customers have financed purchases of Company products through arrangements in which the Company is contingently liable for customer debt of $3,213 as of June 30, 2018. The maximum potential amount of future payments for which the Company would be liable was equal to $3,213 as of June 30, 2018. These arrangements also provide that the Company will receive the lender's full security interest in the equipment financed if the Company is required to fulfill its contingent liability under these arrangements. The Company has recorded a liability of $831 related to these guarantees as of June 30, 2018. In addition, the Company is contingently liable under letters of credit issued by Wells Fargo totaling $9,941 as of June 30, 2018, including $3,200 of letters of credit that guarantee certain Astec Brazil bank debt. The outstanding letters of credit expire at various dates through October 2020. As of June 30, 2018, the Company's foreign subsidiaries are contingently liable for a total of $2,998 in performance letters of credit, advance payments and retention guarantees. The maximum potential amount of future payments under these letters of credit and guarantees for which the Company could be liable is $12,939 as of June 30, 2018. The Company's sales contract with the purchaser of a large wood pellet plant, on which $143,300 of revenue (prior to the $75,315 charge discussed below) has been recorded through June 30, 2018 based on the over-time method, contained certain production output and operational provisions, which if not timely met, could have resulted in the Company having to refund the purchase price to the customer. Additional contract provisions required the Company to compensate the customer for production shortfalls caused by the Company and other potential costs (depending on the market price of wood pellets). As the plant did not meet the production output and operational specifications by the deadline set forth in the contract (June 29, 2018), the Company entered into an agreement with the customer on July 20, 2018 whereby the Company agreed to pay its customer $68,000 over 120 days following execution of the agreement and to forgive $7,315 in accounts receivables to obtain a full release of all the Company's contractual obligations under the sales contract. The terms of the pellet plant agreement resulted in the Company recording charges against sales of $75,315 and gross margins of $71,029 in the second quarter of 2018. The pellet plant agreement also stipulates that the customer will pay the Company $7,000 if the wood pellet plant's performance satisfies certain emissions targets prior to May 1, 2019. The Company produced a large wood pellet plant for a customer under a Company-financed arrangement whereby the Company deferred the recognition of revenues as payment under the arrangement was not assured. While the plant is currently operational and meeting its production goals, the customer has expressed its desire to further modify its obligations under the arrangement. As a result, the parties have agreed to jointly market the plant to a new buyer. The Company expects the ultimate sale of the plant will result in the payments to the Company in excess of the $59,521 inventory value currently recorded; however, future inventory reserves or losses upon the ultimate sale of the plant may occur. As required by the arrangement with the customer, the Company is currently funding the operation of the plant and may be responsible for operational losses should they occur prior to the ultimate sale of the plant. The Company is currently a party to various claims and legal proceedings that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. If management believes that a loss arising from such claims and legal proceedings is probable and can reasonably be estimated, the Company records the amount of the loss (excluding estimated legal fees) or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range and no point within the range is more probable than another. As management becomes aware of additional information concerning such contingencies, any potential liability related to these matters is assessed and the estimates are revised, if necessary. If management believes that a loss arising from such claims and legal proceedings is either (i) probable but cannot be reasonably estimated or (ii) reasonably possible but not probable, the Company does not record the amount of the loss, but does make specific disclosure of such matter. Based upon currently available information and with the advice of counsel, management believes that the ultimate outcome of its current claims and legal proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, cash flows or results of operations. However, claims and legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties and rulings unfavorable to the Company could occur. If an unfavorable ruling were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, cash flows or results of operations.

Note 13. Contingent Matters

Certain customers have financed purchases of Company products through arrangements in which the Company is contingently liable for customer debt of $3,213 as of June 30, 2018. The maximum potential amount of future payments for which the Company would be liable was equal to $3,213 as of June 30, 2018. These arrangements also provide that the Company will receive the lender's full security interest in the equipment financed if the Company is required to fulfill its contingent liability under these arrangements. The Company has recorded a liability of $831 related to these guarantees as of June 30, 2018.

In addition, the Company is contingently liable under letters of credit issued by Wells Fargo totaling $9,941 as of June 30, 2018, including $3,200 of letters of credit that guarantee certain Astec Brazil bank debt. The outstanding letters of credit expire at various dates through October 2020. As of June 30, 2018, the Company's foreign subsidiaries are contingently liable for a total of $2,998 in performance letters of credit, advance payments and retention guarantees. The maximum potential amount of future payments under these letters of credit and guarantees for which the Company could be liable is $12,939 as of June 30, 2018.

The Company's sales contract with the purchaser of a large wood pellet plant, on which $143,300 of revenue (prior to the $75,315 charge discussed below) has been recorded through June 30, 2018 based on the over-time method, contained certain production output and operational provisions, which if not timely met, could have resulted in the Company having to refund the purchase price to the customer. Additional contract provisions required the Company to compensate the customer for production shortfalls caused by the Company and other potential costs (depending on the market price of wood pellets). As the plant did not meet the production output and operational specifications by the deadline set forth in the contract (June 29, 2018), the Company entered into an agreement with the customer on July 20, 2018 whereby the Company agreed to pay its customer $68,000 over 120 days following execution of the agreement and to forgive $7,315 in accounts receivables to obtain a full release of all the Company's contractual obligations under the sales contract. The terms of the pellet plant agreement resulted in the Company recording charges against sales of $75,315 and gross margins of $71,029 in the second quarter of 2018. The pellet plant agreement also stipulates that the customer will pay the Company $7,000 if the wood pellet plant's performance satisfies certain emissions targets prior to May 1, 2019.

The Company produced a large wood pellet plant for a customer under a Company-financed arrangement whereby the Company deferred the recognition of revenues as payment under the arrangement was not assured. While the plant is currently operational and meeting its production goals, the customer has expressed its desire to further modify its obligations under the arrangement. As a result, the parties have agreed to jointly market the plant to a new buyer. The Company expects the ultimate sale of the plant will result in the payments to the Company in excess of the $59,521 inventory value currently recorded; however, future inventory reserves or losses upon the ultimate sale of the plant may occur. As required by the arrangement with the customer, the Company is currently funding the operation of the plant and may be responsible for operational losses should they occur prior to the ultimate sale of the plant.

The Company is currently a party to various claims and legal proceedings that have arisen in the ordinary course of business. If management believes that a loss arising from such claims and legal proceedings is probable and can reasonably be estimated, the Company records the amount of the loss (excluding estimated legal fees) or the minimum estimated liability when the loss is estimated using a range and no point within the range is more probable than another. As management becomes aware of additional information concerning such contingencies, any potential liability related to these matters is assessed and the estimates are revised, if necessary. If management believes that a loss arising from such claims and legal proceedings is either (i) probable but cannot be reasonably estimated or (ii) reasonably possible but not probable, the Company does not record the amount of the loss, but does make specific disclosure of such matter. Based upon currently available information and with the advice of counsel, management believes that the ultimate outcome of its current claims and legal proceedings, individually and in the aggregate, will not have a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, cash flows or results of operations. However, claims and legal proceedings are subject to inherent uncertainties and rulings unfavorable to the Company could occur. If an unfavorable ruling were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse effect on the Company's financial position, cash flows or results of operations.