XML 128 R118.htm IDEA: XBRL DOCUMENT
v3.8.0.1

Commitments and Contingencies - Product Liability (Details) | 12 Months Ended
--- | ---
Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($) individual lawsuit state case item | Dec. 31, 2016 lawsuit
Product Liability - Filters |  |
Product Liability Litigation |  |
Number of customers who obtained an order in the French Courts against 3M Purification SAS | item | 1 |
Number of cases settled in principle in period | case | 2 |
Product liability - Bair Hugger |  |
Product Liability Litigation |  |
Number of lawsuits filed | lawsuit | 4,270 | 1,260
Accrued loss contingency reserve | $ | $ 0 |
Number of federal bellwether cases with trial-ready dates set | case | 2 |
Number of total claims dismissed | case | 61 |
Product liability - Bair Hugger | U.S. District Court for the Western District of Tennessee |  |
Product Liability Litigation |  |
Number of lawsuits filed | lawsuit | 1 |
Product Liability - Lava Ultimate Dental Restorative Material Member |  |
Product Liability Litigation |  |
Number of lawsuits pending | lawsuit | 1 |
Number of plaintiffs | individual | 29 |
Number of states involved in lawsuit | state | 13 |

X
- Definition Represents the number of customers who obtained an order in the French Courts against 3M Purification SAS. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_LossContingencyCustomersWhoObtainedOrderInFrenchCourtsAgainst3MPurificationSASNumber
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The amount of cases resolved in the period. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_NumberOfCasedResolvedInPeriod
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This element represents the number of federal bellwether cases that have a scheduled trial date set. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_NumberOfFederalBellwetherCases
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition This element represents the number of states involved in a current lawsuit. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | mmm_NumberOfStatesInvolvedInLawsuit
Namespace Prefix: | mmm_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Amount of loss contingency liability. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14326-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyAccrualAtCarryingValue
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type: | credit
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Number of claims dismissed. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyClaimsDismissedNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition The total number of new claims filed pertaining to a loss contingency during the period. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyNewClaimsFiledNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of plaintiffs that have filed claims pertaining to a loss contingency. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyNumberOfPlaintiffs
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Definition Number of pending claims pertaining to a loss contingency. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 450 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 4 -Subparagraph (a) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=82911808&loc=d3e14435-108349 + Details
Name: | us-gaap_LossContingencyPendingClaimsNumber
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:integerItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | instant

X
- Definition Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table. + References No definition available. + Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductLiabilityContingencyLineItems
Namespace Prefix: | us-gaap_
Data Type: | xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type: | na
Period Type: | duration

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityFiltersMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityBairHuggerMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_StatementGeographicalAxis=mmm_UsDistrictCourtForWesternDistrictOfTennesseeMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |

X
- Details
Name: | us-gaap_ProductOrServiceAxis=mmm_ProductLiabilityLavaUltimateDentalRestorativeMaterialMember
Namespace Prefix: |
Data Type: | na
Balance Type: |
Period Type: |