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Summary of Significant Accounting Policies (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified | 12 Months Ended
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Dec. 31, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2013 | Dec. 31, 2012
Summary of Significant Accounting Policies [Abstract] |  |  |
Minimum ownership of entities that do not have a non-controlling interest (in hundredths) | 100.00%vsh_MinimumOwnershipOfFullyControlledEntities |  |
Royalty revenues | $ 4,525 us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue | $ 6,362 us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue | $ 7,131 us-gaap_RoyaltyRevenue
Research and development expense | 65,299 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 62,090 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense | 57,164 us-gaap_ResearchAndDevelopmentExpense
Minimum number of months until maturity from original purchase date for a highly liquid investment to be considered a short-term investment (in months) | 3 months |  |
Bad debt expense | (424)us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts | 62 us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts | (24)us-gaap_ProvisionForDoubtfulAccounts
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Estimated cost to complete construction in progress | 40,980 vsh_EstimatedCostToCompleteConstructionInProgress |  |
Depreciation expense | 160,804 us-gaap_Depreciation | 155,064 us-gaap_Depreciation | 153,801 us-gaap_Depreciation
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Cash and investments restricted for potential insurance claims | 7,309 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsCurrent | 7,927 us-gaap_RestrictedCashAndInvestmentsCurrent |
Outstanding claim accrual | 0 vsh_OutstandingClaimAccrual | 0 vsh_OutstandingClaimAccrual |
Goodwill impairment charge | $ 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | $ 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss | $ 0 us-gaap_GoodwillImpairmentLoss
Minimum [Member] | Patents and Acquired Technology [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 7 years |  |
Minimum [Member] | Capitalized Software [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 3 years |  |
Minimum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 5 years |  |
Minimum [Member] | Non-competition Agreements [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 3 years |  |
Maximum [Member] | Patents and Acquired Technology [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 25 years |  |
Maximum [Member] | Capitalized Software [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 10 years |  |
Maximum [Member] | Customer Relationships [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 20 years |  |
Maximum [Member] | Non-competition Agreements [Member] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets [Line Items] |  |  |
Finite-Lived Intangible Assets, Useful Life | 10 years |  |
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Useful Life | 7 years |  |
Machinery and Equipment [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Useful Life | 10 years |  |
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Minimum [Member] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Useful Life | 20 years |  |
Building and Building Improvements [Member] | Maximum [Member] |  |  |
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items] |  |  |
Useful Life | 40 years |  |

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- Definition The amount of expense recognized in the current period that reflects the allocation of the cost of tangible assets over the assets' useful lives. Includes production and non-production related depreciation. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 230 -SubTopic 10 -Section 45 -Paragraph 28 -Subparagraph (b) -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=31042434&loc=d3e3602-108585 + Details
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- Definition The aggregate costs incurred (1) in a planned search or critical investigation aimed at discovery of new knowledge with the hope that such knowledge will be useful in developing a new product or service, a new process or technique, or in bringing about a significant improvement to an existing product or process; or (2) to translate research findings or other knowledge into a plan or design for a new product or process or for a significant improvement to an existing product or process whether intended for sale or the entity's use, during the reporting period charged to research and development projects, including the costs of developing computer software up to the point in time of achieving technological feasibility, and costs allocated in accounting for a business combination to in-process projects deemed to have no alternative future use. + References Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 985 -SubTopic 20 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6501960&loc=d3e128462-111756 Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef -Publisher FASB -Name Accounting Standards Codification -Topic 730 -SubTopic 10 -Section 50 -Paragraph 1 -URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6420194&loc=d3e21568-108373 + Details
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