Warranties Changes in accrued product warranties (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended
Mar. 31, 2018	Mar. 31, 2017
Movement in Standard Product Warranty Accrual [Roll Forward]
Balances at beginning of period	$ 2,312	$ 2,329
Standard and Extended Product Warranty Accrual, Additions from Business Acquisition	92	0
Increases to accruals related to sales during the period	178	2,181
Product Warranty Expense	(506)	(389)
Product Warranty Accrual, Foreign Exchange Impact	8	5
Balances at end of period	$ 2,084	$ 4,126

Product Warranty Accrual, Foreign Exchange Impact

No definition available.

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Namespace Prefix:	aeis_
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- Definition

A roll forward is a reconciliation of a concept from the beginning of a period to the end of a period.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

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- Definition

Carrying value as of the balance sheet date of obligations incurred through that date and payable for estimated claims under standard and extended warranty protection rights granted to customers.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (c)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 460
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 8
-Subparagraph (c)(5)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=68068213&loc=d3e12565-110249

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 942
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.9-03.15(5))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6876686&loc=d3e534808-122878

+ Details

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Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Amount of increase in the standard and extended product warranty accrual from a business acquisition.

+ References

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Amount of increase in the standard and extended product warranty accrual from warranties issued.

+ References

+ Details

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Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
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Period Type:	duration

- Definition

The expense charged against earnings for the period pertaining to standard and extended warranties on the entity's goods and services granted to customers.

+ References

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration