Other Financial Data (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014	Sep. 30, 2013	Sep. 30, 2012
Salaries and wages (including fringes)	$ 158,333	$ 151,805	$ 138,192
Maintenance and repairs	4,638	4,368	4,248
Total R&D	28,466	27,718	23,464
Other engineering costs	12,484	7,715	12,217
Total R&D and other engineering costs	40,950	35,433	35,681
As a % of net sales	7.70%	7.20%	7.50%
Company-Sponsored [Member]
Total R&D	16,880	12,704	14,293
Customer-Sponsored [Member]
Total R&D	$ 11,586	$ 15,014	$ 9,171

- Definition

The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use.

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