The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit issued on behalf of foreign subsidiaries.

No definition available.

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Forgiveness of accounts receivable on liability and other provisions of the exit contract.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Performance bank guarantee issued by foreign subsidiaries banks to foreign subsidiaries customers.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aste_PerformanceBankGuaranteeSubsidiary
Namespace Prefix:	aste_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

This element represents period for payment of contract liability.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	aste_PeriodForPaymentOfContractLiability
Namespace Prefix:	aste_
Data Type:	xbrli:durationItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of liability for consideration received or receivable from customer which is not included in transaction price, when consideration is expected to be refunded to customer, classified as current.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/commonPracticeRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 606
-SubTopic 10
-Section 55
-Paragraph 27
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=108792157&loc=SL49130611-203046-203046

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Date when the debt instrument is scheduled to be fully repaid, in CCYY-MM-DD format.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/disclosureRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 210
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-02.22(a)(2))
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-Publisher FASB
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-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (bbb)(2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=99377789&loc=d3e19207-110258

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Data Type:	xbrli:dateItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The amount or range of possible amounts of gain that could be realized upon the resolution of a contingency.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 30
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6397426&loc=d3e17499-108355

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Aggregate revenue less cost of goods and services sold or operating expenses directly attributable to the revenue generation activity.

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Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1,2)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115205541&loc=SL114868664-224227

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Carrying amount, net of valuation reserves and adjustments, as of the balance sheet date of merchandise or goods held by the company that are readily available for sale.

+ References

Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
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-SubTopic 10
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The total amount of the contingent obligation under letters of credit outstanding as of the reporting date.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of loss contingency liability.

+ References

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 450
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- References

No definition available.

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Reflects the estimated amount of loss from the specified contingency as of the balance sheet date.

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Reference 1: http://fasb.org/us-gaap/role/ref/legacyRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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-SubTopic 20
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-Paragraph 4
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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 2
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=115931803&loc=d3e12021-110248

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount, excluding tax collected from customer, of revenue from satisfaction of performance obligation by transferring promised good or service to customer. Tax collected from customer is tax assessed by governmental authority that is both imposed on and concurrent with specific revenue-producing transaction, including, but not limited to, sales, use, value added and excise.

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-SubTopic 10
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-Paragraph 4
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-SubTopic 10
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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	srt_ProductOrServiceAxis=aste_PelletPlantAgreementSaleChargeMember
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Balance Type:
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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_SubsequentEventTypeAxis=us-gaap_SubsequentEventMember
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- Details

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Data Type:	na
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- Details

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- Details

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Contingent Matters (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands		3 Months Ended		6 Months Ended
Contingent Matters (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Jul. 20, 2018	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Jun. 30, 2018	Jun. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2017
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Contingent liability for customer debt		$ 3,213		$ 3,213
Liability recorded related to guarantees		831		831
Revenues from sales contract		272,528	$ 301,909	597,981	$ 620,310
Gross margin		1,108	$ 65,524	79,113	$ 141,296
Inventory value		128,126		128,126		$ 94,571
Pellet Plant Agreement Sale Charge [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Revenues from sales contract		(75,315)
Gross margin		(71,029)
Pellet Plant [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Revenues from sales contract				143,300
Gain contingency, unrecorded amount		7,000		7,000
Inventory value		59,521		59,521
Pellet Plant [Member] \| Subsequent Event [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Agreement liability amount expected to pay to customer	$ 68,000
Number of days required for payment agreement amount	120 days
Forgiveness of accounts receivable	$ 7,315
Letter of Credit Wells Fargo [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Contingent liabilities for letters of credit		9,941		$ 9,941
Letter of credit expiration date				Oct. 31, 2020
Astec Brazil Working Capital Loans [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Contingent liabilities for letters of credit issued on behalf of foreign subsidiaries		3,200		$ 3,200
Letter of Credit [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Performance bank guarantee, subsidiary obligations to fulfill contracts		2,998		2,998
Letter of Credit [Member] \| Maximum [Member]
Loss Contingency, Estimate [Abstract]
Contingent liabilities for letters of credit		$ 12,939		$ 12,939