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Business Segment Information - Summary of Net Sales for Company's Products and Services (Detail) - USD ($) $ in Thousands | 3 Months Ended
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Mar. 31, 2018 | Apr. 01, 2017
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Product sales | $ 339,117 | $ 324,296
Service sales | 191,553 | 173,673
Total net sales | 530,670 | 497,969
Waters Instrument Systems [Member] |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Product sales | 198,103 | 197,789
Chemistry Consumables [Member] |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Product sales | 98,710 | 87,903
TA Instrument Systems [Member] |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Product sales | 42,304 | 38,604
Waters Service [Member] |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Service sales | 174,333 | 157,734
TA Service [Member] |  |
Revenue from External Customer [Line Items] |  |
Service sales | $ 17,220 | $ 15,939

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- Definition Aggregate revenue during the period from the sale of goods in the normal course of business, after deducting returns, allowances and discounts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1(a)) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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- Definition Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 225 -SubTopic 10 -Section S99 -Paragraph 2 -Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.1) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688 + Details
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