NOTE 8 - SEGMENT INFORMATION (Detail) - Schedule of Segment Information (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 29, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 29, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011
Revenue	$ 57,482	$ 60,482	$ 175,805	$ 162,961
Gross profit	3,270	6,776	13,350	17,194
SG&A	6,162	6,682	19,301	18,716
Goodwill impairment	14,568		14,568
Operating income (loss)	(17,460)	94	(20,519)	(1,522)
Other income	(98)	(8)	(100)	(68)
Interest expense, net	(643)	(303)	(1,320)	(711)
Tax expense (benefit)	(412)	(138)	(5,606)	460
Discontinued operations - net of taxes	(3,717)	(918)	(4,779)	(1,263)
Net (income) loss	(22,330)	(1,273)	(32,324)	(3,104)
Engineering and construction [Member]
Revenue	40,779	46,695	131,161	128,239
Gross profit	2,638	4,659	9,874	12,240
SG&A	2,055	2,009	6,684	5,702
Goodwill impairment	14,568		14,568
Operating income (loss)	(13,985)	2,650	(11,378)	6,538
Other income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations - net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net (income) loss	0	0	0	0
Revenue before eliminations				128,240
Inter-segment eliminations				(1)
Automation [Member]
Revenue	16,703	13,787	44,644	34,722
Gross profit	2,734	2,117	5,578	4,954
SG&A	1,096	1,148	3,186	3,083
Goodwill impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	1,638	969	2,392	1,871
Other income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations - net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net (income) loss	0	0	0	0
Revenue before eliminations				34,949
Inter-segment eliminations				(227)
Corporate [Member]
Revenue	0	0	0	0
Gross profit	(2,102)	0	(2,102)	0
SG&A	3,011	3,525	9,431	9,931
Goodwill impairment	0		0
Operating income (loss)	(5,113)	(3,525)	(11,533)	(9,931)
Other income	0	0	0	0
Interest expense, net	0	0	0	0
Tax expense (benefit)	0	0	0	0
Discontinued operations - net of taxes	0	0	0	0
Net (income) loss	0	0	0	0
Revenue before eliminations				0
Inter-segment eliminations				0
Consolidated [Member]
Revenue	57,482	60,482	175,805	162,961
Gross profit	3,270	6,776	13,350	17,194
SG&A	6,162	6,682	19,301	18,716
Goodwill impairment	14,568		14,568
Operating income (loss)	(17,460)	94	(20,519)	(1,522)
Other income	(98)	(8)	(100)	(68)
Interest expense, net	(643)	(303)	(1,320)	(711)
Tax expense (benefit)	(412)	(138)	(5,606)	460
Discontinued operations - net of taxes	(3,717)	(918)	(4,779)	(1,263)
Net (income) loss	(22,330)	(1,273)	(32,324)	(3,104)
Revenue before eliminations				163,189
Inter-segment eliminations				$ (228)