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Fair Value Measurements - Assets and Liabilities Measured at Fair Value on a Recurring Basis (Detail) (USD $)
3 Months Ended
Apr. 05, 2015
Dec. 31, 2014
Assets:    
Money market instruments $ 1,240,000us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue $ 777,000us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
Financial assets at fair value 510,820,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities  
Corporate Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 241,634,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
 
Treasury Bills    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 96,168,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
 
Asset-Backed Securities    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 77,840,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
 
Euro liquidity fund    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 62,045,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_EuroliquidityfundMember
 
Agency Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 12,887,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_AgencyBondsMember
 
Sovereign Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 11,645,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_SovereignDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Municipal Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 6,699,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MunicipalBondsMember
 
Supranational bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 1,902,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_SupranationalbondsMember
 
Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring    
Liabilities:    
Asset Impairment Charges 0us-gaap_AssetImpairmentCharges
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember
 
Quoted Prices in Active Markets for Identical Assets (Level 1) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring    
Assets:    
Money market instruments 1,240,000us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel1Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring    
Assets:    
Money market instruments 0us-gaap_MoneyMarketFundsAtCarryingValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Assets, Cash flow hedge forward contracts 327,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeAssetAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Assets, Economic hedge forward contracts 7,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyContractAssetFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Liabilities:    
Liabilities, Cash flow hedge forward contracts 762,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyCashFlowHedgeLiabilityAtFairValue
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Liabilities, Economic hedge forward contracts 17,000us-gaap_ForeignCurrencyContractsLiabilityFairValueDisclosure
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Corporate Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 241,634,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_CorporateBondSecuritiesMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Treasury Bills    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 96,168,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_USTreasurySecuritiesMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Asset-Backed Securities    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 77,840,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_AssetBackedSecuritiesMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Euro liquidity fund    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 62,045,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_EuroliquidityfundMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Agency Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 12,887,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_AgencyBondsMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Sovereign Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 11,645,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_SovereignDebtSecuritiesMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Municipal Bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 6,699,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= us-gaap_MunicipalBondsMember
 
Significant Other Observable Inputs (Level 2) | Fair Value, Measurements, Recurring | Supranational bonds    
Assets:    
Financial assets at fair value 1,902,000us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecuritiesDebtSecurities
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel2Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsRecurringMember
/ us-gaap_MajorTypesOfDebtAndEquitySecuritiesAxis
= cgnx_SupranationalbondsMember
 
Fair Value, Inputs, Level 3 | Fair Value, Measurements, Nonrecurring    
Liabilities:    
Other than Temporary Impairment Losses, Investments, Portion Recognized in Earnings, Net $ 0us-gaap_OtherThanTemporaryImpairmentLossesInvestmentsPortionRecognizedInEarningsNet
/ us-gaap_FairValueByFairValueHierarchyLevelAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueInputsLevel3Member
/ us-gaap_FairValueByMeasurementFrequencyAxis
= us-gaap_FairValueMeasurementsNonrecurringMember