Restructuring Costs (Details) - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 31, 2018	Jan. 31, 2017	Jan. 31, 2016
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Amount of unpaid costs	$ 0	$ 0
Restructuring costs	$ 0	0	$ 661,000
Applied Technology
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			588,000
Proceeds from sale of productive assets		960,000	1,288,000
Applied Technology | Cost of Sales
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			407,000
Applied Technology | Selling, General and Administrative Expenses [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			181,000
Vista Research
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Amount of unpaid costs			0
Restructuring costs			73,000
Vista Research | Cost of Sales
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			58,000
Vista Research | Research and Development Expense [Member]
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Restructuring costs			15,000
Operating Segments | Applied Technology
Restructuring Cost and Reserve [Line Items]
Gain on disposal of assets		$ 160,000	$ 611,000