CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) shares in Thousands, $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2015	Sep. 30, 2014
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues	$ 565,243	$ 661,858	$ 647,814
Cost of goods sold	459,038	553,597	522,340
Gross profit	106,205	108,261	125,474
Selling, general and administrative expenses	74,924	76,801	87,756
Research and development expenses	6,731	6,980	7,608
Amortization of intangible assets	352	435	779
Restructuring and separation expenses	8,441	3,397
Operating income	15,757	20,648	29,331
Other income (See Note E)	(2,029)	(2,402)	(1,522)
Interest expense	149	145	178
Interest income	(156)	(86)	(13)
Income from continuing operations before income taxes	17,793	22,991	30,688
Income tax provision	2,283	13,552	11,068
Income from continuing operations	15,510	9,439	19,620
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax (Note N)			9,604
Net income	$ 15,510	$ 9,439	$ 29,224
Earnings per share:
Continuing operations	$ 1.36	$ 0.80	$ 1.63
Discontinued operations			0.80
Basic earnings per share	1.36	0.80	2.43
Continuing operations	1.36	0.79	1.62
Discontinued operations			0.80
Diluted earnings per share	$ 1.36	$ 0.79	$ 2.42
Weighted average shares:
Basic	11,400	11,869	12,003
Diluted	11,431	11,908	12,058
Dividends per share	$ 1.04	$ 1.04	$ 1.00