CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (USD $) In Thousands, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2012	Sep. 30, 2011	Sep. 30, 2010
Revenues
Product	$ 431,961	$ 611,117	$ 531,807
Services	87,490	76,988	61,165
Total revenues	519,451	688,105	592,972
Cost of revenues
Product	283,377	411,610	377,466
Services	62,588	53,474	49,211
Total cost of revenues	345,965	465,084	426,677
Gross profit	173,486	223,021	166,295
Operating expenses
Research and development	47,464	39,846	31,162
Selling, general and administrative	101,223	102,542	85,597
Restructuring charges	3,275	1,036	2,529
Pension settlement	8,937
In-process research and development	3,026
Total operating expenses	163,925	143,424	119,288
Operating income	9,561	79,597	47,007
Interest income	1,213	1,153	1,121
Interest expense	(14)	(65)	(80)
Gain on sale of intellectual property rights			7,840
Gain on sale of contract manufacturing business		45,009
Loss on investment			(191)
Other income, net	660	1,882	367
Income before income taxes and equity in earnings of joint ventures	11,420	127,576	56,064
Income tax provision (benefit)	(123,282)	1,954	(2,746)
Income before equity in earnings of joint ventures	134,702	125,622	58,810
Equity in earnings of joint ventures	2,133	4,815	1,074
Net income	136,835	130,437	59,884
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests	(46)	(52)	(43)
Net income attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc.	$ 136,789	$ 130,385	$ 59,841
Basic net income per share attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc. common stockholders	$ 2.10	$ 2.02	$ 0.94
Diluted net income per share attributable to Brooks Automation, Inc. common stockholders	$ 2.08	$ 2.01	$ 0.93
Shares used in computing earnings per share
Basic	65,128	64,549	63,777
Diluted	65,722	65,003	64,174