Condensed Consolidated Statements Of Income (Parenthetical) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2011		Oct. 01, 2010		Sep. 30, 2011		Oct. 01, 2010
Revenues	$ 417,433,000	[1]	$ 318,210,000	[1]	$ 1,208,895,000	[1]	$ 970,588,000	[1]
Cost of sales	205,874,000	[1]	158,462,000	[1]	597,072,000	[1]	488,417,000	[1]
Joint Ventures [Member]
Revenues	6,500,000		5,500,000		17,500,000		15,800,000
Cost of sales	4,500,000		3,600,000		11,900,000		10,700,000
Cost Of Sales Associated With Related Party Net Inventory Purchases	$ 10,000,000		$ 7,400,000		$ 28,500,000		$ 22,000,000

[1] Sales to Caterpillar Trimble Control Technologies Joint Venture (CTCT) and Nikon-Trimble Joint Venture (Nikon-Trimble) were $6.5 million and $5.5 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, with associated cost of sales to those related parties of $4.5 million and $3.6 million, respectively. Sales to CTCT and Nikon-Trimble were $17.5 million and $15.8 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, with associated cost of sales of $11.9 million and $10.7 million, respectively. In addition, cost of sales associated with related party net inventory purchases were $10.0 million and $7.4 million for the three months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively, and $28.5 million and $22.0 million for the nine months ended September 30, 2011 and October 1, 2010, respectively. See Note 5 regarding joint ventures for further information about related party transactions.