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Minority Investments - Schedule of Net Investment Activity (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015	Mar. 31, 2014	Mar. 31, 2013
Schedule Of Results Related To Equity Accounted Investees [Line Items]
Minority interest in net losses	$ (743)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments	$ (1,008)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments	$ (2,231)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments
Tres Amigas
Schedule Of Results Related To Equity Accounted Investees [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	1,845amsc_NetInvestmentActivityInBusinessAcquisitions / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_TresAmigasMember
Minority interest in net losses	(743)us-gaap_GainLossOnInvestments / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_TresAmigasMember
Ending Balance	1,102amsc_NetInvestmentActivityInBusinessAcquisitions / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_TresAmigasMember
Blade Dynamics Ltd
Schedule Of Results Related To Equity Accounted Investees [Line Items]
Beginning Balance	3,690amsc_NetInvestmentActivityInBusinessAcquisitions / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember
Net foreign exchange rate impact	(226)us-gaap_TranslationAdjustmentFunctionalToReportingCurrencyNetOfTaxPeriodIncreaseDecrease / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember
Impairment	(3,464)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember	(1,300)us-gaap_ImpairmentOfInvestments / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember
Ending Balance	$ 0amsc_NetInvestmentActivityInBusinessAcquisitions / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember	$ 3,690amsc_NetInvestmentActivityInBusinessAcquisitions / us-gaap_ScheduleOfEquityMethodInvestmentEquityMethodInvesteeNameAxis = amsc_BladeDynamicsLtdMember

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- Definition

Net investment activity in business acquisitions.

+ References

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This item represents the net total realized and unrealized gain (loss) included in earnings for the period as a result of selling or holding marketable securities categorized as trading, available-for-sale, or held-to-maturity, including the unrealized holding gain (loss) of held-to-maturity securities transferred to the trading security category and the cumulative unrealized gain (loss) which was included in other comprehensive income (a separate component of shareholders' equity) for available-for-sale securities transferred to trading securities during the period. Additionally, this item would include any gains (losses) realized during the period from the sale of investments accounted for under the cost method of accounting and losses recognized for other than temporary impairments (OTTI) of the subject investments.

+ References

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-Publisher FASB

-Name Accounting Standards Codification

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Current period translation adjustment net of tax resulting from translating foreign currency financial statements into the reporting currency. Adjustment is reported in other comprehensive income and is not included in determining net income.

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