Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	9 Months Ended
Oct. 02, 2021
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Use of Estimates [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period. The company’s estimates include, among others, asset reserve requirements as well as the amounts of future cash flows associated with certain assets and businesses that are used in assessing the risk of impairment. Risks and uncertainties associated with the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic materially adversely affected certain of the company’s businesses in 2020, particularly in the Analytical Instruments segment and, to a lesser extent, some businesses within the other three segments. The negative impacts have significantly lessened so far in 2021. The extent and duration of negative impacts in the future, which may include inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions, are uncertain and may require changes to estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Recent Accounting Pronouncements In October 2021, the FASB amended guidance to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination. Generally, this new guidance will result in the company recognizing contract assets and contract liabilities at the same amounts recorded by the acquiree. The company will adopt this guidance in the fourth quarter of 2021 retrospectively to all business combinations completed in the first three quarters of 2021 and prospectively to all future business combinations. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements for prior acquisitions; however, the impact in future periods will be dependent on the contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in future business combinations. In July 2021, the FASB amended guidance to require lessors to classify leases as operating leases if they have certain variable lease payment structures and would have selling losses if they were classified as sales-type or direct financing leases. The company adopted the guidance in the third quarter of 2021 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements. In December 2019, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes. Among other things, the new guidance requires the effects of enacted changes in tax laws or rates to be reflected in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The company adopted this guidance in 2021 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements; however, the impact in future periods will be dependent on the extent of future events or conditions that would be affected such as enacted changes in tax laws or rates.
Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]	The company’s acquisitions have historically been made at prices above the determined fair value of the acquired identifiable net assets, resulting in goodwill, primarily due to expectations of the synergies that will be realized by combining the businesses and the benefits that will be gained from the assembled workforce. These synergies include the elimination of redundant facilities, functions and staffing; use of the company’s existing commercial infrastructure to expand sales of the acquired businesses’ products; and use of the commercial infrastructure of the acquired businesses to cost-effectively expand sales of company products. Acquisitions have been accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting, and the acquired companies’ results have been included in the accompanying financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition.

Nature of Operations and Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)

9 Months Ended

Oct. 02, 2021

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

Use of Estimates

The preparation of financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of revenues and expenses during the reporting period.

The company’s estimates include, among others, asset reserve requirements as well as the amounts of future cash flows associated with certain assets and businesses that are used in assessing the risk of impairment. Risks and uncertainties associated with the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic materially adversely affected certain of the company’s businesses in 2020, particularly in the Analytical Instruments segment and, to a lesser extent, some businesses within the other three

segments. The negative impacts have significantly lessened so far in 2021. The extent and duration of negative impacts in the future, which may include inflationary pressures and supply chain disruptions, are uncertain and may require changes to estimates. Actual results could differ from those estimates.

New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]

Recent Accounting Pronouncements

In October 2021, the FASB amended guidance to recognize and measure contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in a business combination. Generally, this new guidance will result in the company recognizing contract assets and contract liabilities at the same amounts recorded by the acquiree. The company will adopt this guidance in the fourth quarter of 2021 retrospectively to all business combinations completed in the first three quarters of 2021 and prospectively to all future business combinations. The adoption of this guidance will not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements for prior acquisitions; however, the impact in future periods will be dependent on the contract assets and contract liabilities acquired in future business combinations.

In July 2021, the FASB amended guidance to require lessors to classify leases as operating leases if they have certain variable lease payment structures and would have selling losses if they were classified as sales-type or direct financing leases. The company adopted the guidance in the third quarter of 2021 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements.

In December 2019, the FASB issued new guidance to simplify the accounting for income taxes. Among other things, the new guidance requires the effects of enacted changes in tax laws or rates to be reflected in the annual effective tax rate computation in the interim period that includes the enactment date. The company adopted this guidance in 2021 using a prospective method. The adoption of this guidance did not have a material impact on the company’s consolidated financial statements; however, the impact in future periods will be dependent on the extent of future events or conditions that would be affected such as enacted changes in tax laws or rates.

Business Combinations Policy [Policy Text Block]

The company’s acquisitions have historically been made at prices above the determined fair value of the acquired identifiable net assets, resulting in goodwill, primarily due to expectations of the synergies that will be realized by combining the businesses and the benefits that will be gained from the assembled workforce. These synergies include the elimination of redundant facilities, functions and staffing; use of the company’s existing commercial infrastructure to expand sales of the acquired businesses’ products; and use of the commercial infrastructure of the acquired businesses to cost-effectively expand sales of company products. Acquisitions have been accounted for using the acquisition method of accounting, and the acquired companies’ results have been included in the accompanying financial statements from their respective dates of acquisition.