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Income Taxes - Additional Information (Detail) (USD $)
In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified
3 Months Ended 12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Deferred tax assets, domestic   $ 5.2us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic $ 5.5us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsDomestic  
Deferred income tax assets, net operating loss carryforwards   9.2us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards 10.3us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwards  
Valuation Allowance   1.8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance 6.8us-gaap_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowance  
Valuation Allowance, Deferred Tax Asset, Change in Amount   (5.0)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount (0.2)us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount 3.0us-gaap_ValuationAllowanceDeferredTaxAssetChangeInAmount
Decrease in deferred tax assets and the related valuation allowance   4.7faro_DeferredTaxAssetsValuationAllowanceDecrease    
Discrete tax adjustment 4.5us-gaap_IncomeTaxReconciliationOtherReconcilingItems      
Undistributed international earnings   106.2us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries 78.2us-gaap_UndistributedEarningsOfForeignSubsidiaries  
Effective tax rate due by recognized tax benefits   0.3us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate 0.3us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsThatWouldImpactEffectiveTaxRate  
Unrecognized tax benefits,interest and penalties   0.03us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued 0.03us-gaap_UnrecognizedTaxBenefitsIncomeTaxPenaltiesAndInterestAccrued  
Minimum        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Deferred income tax assets, operating loss carryforwards expiration period   5faro_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationPeriod
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MinimumMember
   
Tax returns examination statute of limitations period   3 years    
Maximum        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Deferred income tax assets, operating loss carryforwards expiration period   15faro_DeferredTaxAssetsOperatingLossCarryforwardsExpirationPeriod
/ us-gaap_RangeAxis
= us-gaap_MaximumMember
   
Tax returns examination statute of limitations period   4 years    
Switzerland        
Income Taxes [Line Items]        
Income tax holiday, aggregate dollar amount   $ 1.9us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH
$ 1.5us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH
$ 0.9us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayAggregateDollarAmount
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH
Income tax holiday, income tax benefits per share   $ 0.11us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH
$ 0.09us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH
$ 0.05us-gaap_IncomeTaxHolidayIncomeTaxBenefitsPerShare
/ us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis
= country_CH