Investment in Affiliates	12 Months Ended
Sep. 30, 2014
Equity Method Investments and Joint Ventures [Abstract]
Equity Method Investments	Investments The Company accounts for certain of its investments using the equity method of accounting. Under this method of accounting, the Company records in income its proportionate share of the earnings (losses) of the investee with a corresponding increase (decrease) in the carrying value of the investment. BioCision, LLC In March 2014, the Company acquired a 22% equity interest in BioCision, LLC (“BioCision”), a privately-held company based in Larkspur, California, for $4.0 million. BioCision develops, manufactures and markets cell cryopreservation products used to improve and standardize the tools and methods for biomaterial sample handling. The Company determined that the level of equity investment at risk was not sufficient for BioCision to finance its activities without additional financial support and as a result, represented a variable interest entity. However, the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact BioCision’s economic performance and would not absorb the majority of the expected losses, and therefore does not qualify as the primary beneficiary. The Company has no future contractual funding commitments to BioCision and as a result, the Company's exposure to loss was limited to the amount of its investment. For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded a loss of $0.3 million representing its proportional share in the losses of BioCision. At September 30, 2014, the carrying value of the investment in BioCision in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet was $3.7 million. ULVAC Cryogenics, Inc. The Company participates in a 50% joint venture, ULVAC Cryogenics, Inc. (“UCI”) with ULVAC Corporation of Chigasaki, Japan. UCI manufactures and sells cryogenic vacuum pumps, principally to ULVAC Corporation. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the carrying value of UCI in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet was $22.6 million and $22.7 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income associated with UCI of $1.6 million, $2.6 million and $2.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, management fee payments received by the Company from UCI were $0.6 million, $0.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company incurred charges from UCI for products or services of $0.4 million, $0.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company owed UCI $79,000 and $26,000, respectively, in connection with accounts payable for unpaid products and services. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company received $0.9 million and $5.0 million, respectively, of cash dividends from UCI which reduced the carrying value of the Company's investment. Yaskawa Brooks Automation, Inc. The Company participates in a 50% joint venture with Yaskawa Electric Corporation (“Yaskawa”) called Yaskawa Brooks Automation, Inc. (“YBA”) to exclusively market and sell Yaskawa's semiconductor robotics products and Brooks' automation hardware products to semiconductor customers in Japan. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the carrying value of YBA in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet was $2.6 million and $3.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income (expense) associated with YBA of $(0.1) million, $(0.2) million and $0.1 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company earned revenue for sales to YBA of $7.4 million, $6.3 million and $8.0 million, respectively. The amount due from YBA included in accounts receivable at September 30, 2014 and 2013 was $2.1 million and $2.3 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company incurred charges from YBA for products or services of $0.7 million, $0.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively. At September 30, 2014 and 2013 the Company owed YBA $133,000 and $47,000, respectively, in connection with accounts payable for unpaid products and services.

Investments

The Company accounts for certain of its investments using the equity method of accounting. Under this method of accounting, the Company records in income its proportionate share of the earnings (losses) of the investee with a corresponding increase (decrease) in the carrying value of the investment.

BioCision, LLC

In March 2014, the Company acquired a 22% equity interest in BioCision, LLC (“BioCision”), a privately-held company based in Larkspur, California, for $4.0 million. BioCision develops, manufactures and markets cell cryopreservation products used to improve and standardize the tools and methods for biomaterial sample handling.

The Company determined that the level of equity investment at risk was not sufficient for BioCision to finance its activities without additional financial support and as a result, represented a variable interest entity. However, the Company does not have the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact BioCision’s economic performance and would not absorb the majority of the expected losses, and therefore does not qualify as the primary beneficiary. The Company has no future contractual funding commitments to BioCision and as a result, the Company's exposure to loss was limited to the amount of its investment.

For the fiscal year ended September 30, 2014, the Company recorded a loss of $0.3 million representing its proportional share in the losses of BioCision. At September 30, 2014, the carrying value of the investment in BioCision in the Company’s Consolidated Balance Sheet was $3.7 million.

ULVAC Cryogenics, Inc.

The Company participates in a 50% joint venture, ULVAC Cryogenics, Inc. (“UCI”) with ULVAC Corporation of Chigasaki, Japan. UCI manufactures and sells cryogenic vacuum pumps, principally to ULVAC Corporation. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the carrying value of UCI in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet was $22.6 million and $22.7 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income associated with UCI of $1.6 million, $2.6 million and $2.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, management fee payments received by the Company from UCI were $0.6 million, $0.6 million and $1.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company incurred charges from UCI for products or services of $0.4 million, $0.5 million and $0.8 million, respectively. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company owed UCI $79,000 and $26,000, respectively, in connection with accounts payable for unpaid products and services. During the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014 and 2013, the Company received $0.9 million and $5.0 million, respectively, of cash dividends from UCI which reduced the carrying value of the Company's investment.

Yaskawa Brooks Automation, Inc.

The Company participates in a 50% joint venture with Yaskawa Electric Corporation (“Yaskawa”) called Yaskawa Brooks Automation, Inc. (“YBA”) to exclusively market and sell Yaskawa's semiconductor robotics products and Brooks' automation hardware products to semiconductor customers in Japan. At September 30, 2014 and 2013, the carrying value of YBA in the Company's Consolidated Balance Sheet was $2.6 million and $3.0 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company recorded income (expense) associated with YBA of $(0.1) million, $(0.2) million and $0.1 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company earned revenue for sales to YBA of $7.4 million, $6.3 million and $8.0 million, respectively. The amount due from YBA included in accounts receivable at September 30, 2014 and 2013 was $2.1 million and $2.3 million, respectively. For the fiscal years ended September 30, 2014, 2013 and 2012, the Company incurred charges from YBA for products or services of $0.7 million, $0.5 million and $0.5 million, respectively. At September 30, 2014 and 2013 the Company owed YBA $133,000 and $47,000, respectively, in connection with accounts payable for unpaid products and services.