Business Segments - Schedule of Information on Company's Business Segments (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	$ 574,490	$ 530,356	$ 1,701,408	$ 1,582,624
Operating income	126,504	109,708	367,308	326,876
Interest expense	11,064	11,913	33,920	33,607
Other (income) expense - net	1,653	(1,513)	1,717	(2,496)
Income before income taxes	113,787	99,308	331,671	295,765
Total assets	3,317,761		3,317,761		$ 3,154,944
Benefit from reversal of contingent consideration		0		4,700
Loss on disposition of business			0	2,067
Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(189)	(310)	(741)	(835)
Corporate office expense and other
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Operating income	(17,756)	(15,886)	(53,149)	(46,457)
Total assets	183,124		183,124		117,503
Fluid & Metering Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	220,897	208,164	658,675	641,508
Operating income	61,988	55,907	179,830	161,782
Fluid & Metering Technologies | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(56)	(171)	(230)	(480)
Fluid & Metering Technologies | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	220,953	208,335	658,905	641,988
Total assets	1,112,788		1,112,788		1,065,670
Health & Science Technologies
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	207,018	183,453	610,890	556,157
Operating income	46,073	37,195	134,605	118,985
Health & Science Technologies | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(109)	(111)	(325)	(318)
Health & Science Technologies | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	207,127	183,564	611,215	556,475
Total assets	1,281,823		1,281,823		1,266,036
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	146,575	138,739	431,843	384,959
Operating income	36,199	32,492	106,022	92,566
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products | Intersegment elimination
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	(24)	(28)	(186)	(37)
Fire & Safety/Diversified Products | Operating Segments
Segment Reporting Information [Line Items]
Net sales	146,599	$ 138,767	432,029	$ 384,996
Total assets	$ 740,026		$ 740,026		$ 705,735