Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	12 Months Ended
Significant Accounting Policies (Policies)	Dec. 31, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Consolidation, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Consolidation Policy The accompanying consolidated financial statements include the accounts of Sypris Solutions, Inc. and its wholly-owned subsidiaries (collectively, “Sypris” or the “Company”) and have been prepared by the Company in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company’s operations are domiciled in the United States (U.S.) and Mexico and serve a wide variety of domestic and international customers. All intercompany accounts and transactions have been eliminated.
Nature of Business [Policy Text Block]	Nature of Business Sypris is a diversified provider of outsourced services and specialty products. The Company performs a wide range of manufacturing, engineering, design and other technical services, often under sole-source contracts with corporations and government agencies in the markets for truck components and assemblies and aerospace and defense electronics. The Company provides such services through its Sypris Technologies and Sypris Electronics segments. See Note 22 for additional information regarding our segments.
Use of Estimates, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Use of Estimates The preparation of the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes in conformity with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported. Changes in facts and circumstances could have a significant impact on the resulting estimated amounts included in our consolidated financial statements. Actual results could differ from these estimates.
Fair Value Measurement, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Fair Value Estimates The Company estimates fair value of its financial instruments utilizing an established three -level hierarchy. The hierarchy is based upon the transparency of inputs to the valuation of an asset or liability as of the measurement date as follows: Level 1 – Valuation is based upon unadjusted quoted prices for identical assets or liabilities in active markets. Level 2 – Valuation is based upon quoted prices for similar assets and liabilities in active markets, or other inputs that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly, for substantially the full term of the financial instruments. Level 3 – Valuation is based upon other unobservable inputs that are significant to the fair value measurements.
Cash and Cash Equivalents, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Cash Equivalents and Restricted Cash Cash equivalents include all highly liquid investments with a maturity of three months or less when purchased. Restricted cash includes money held in escrow pursuant to the sale of the CSS business in connection with certain customary representations, warranties, covenants and indemnifications of the Company.
Inventory, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Inventory Inventory is stated at the lower of cost or estimated net realizable value. Costs for raw materials, work in process and finished goods is determined under the first -in, first -out method. Indirect inventories, which include perishable tooling, repair parts and other materials consumed in the manufacturing process but not incorporated into finished products are classified as raw materials. The Company’s reserve for excess and obsolete inventory is primarily based upon forecasted demand for its product sales, and any change to the reserve arising from forecast revisions is reflected in cost of sales in the period the revision is made.
Property, Plant and Equipment, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Property, Plant and Equipment Property, plant and equipment is stated at cost. Depreciation of property, plant and equipment is generally computed using the straight-line method over their estimated economic lives. For land improvements, buildings and building improvements, the estimated economic life is generally 40 years. Estimated economic lives range from three to fifteen years for machinery, equipment, furniture and fixtures. Leasehold improvements are amortized over the shorter of their economic life or the respective lease term using the straight-line method. Expenditures for maintenance, repairs and renewals of minor items are expensed as incurred. Major rebuilds and improvements are capitalized. Also included in plant and equipment are assets under capital lease, which are stated at the present value of minimum lease payments.
Impairment or Disposal of Long-Lived Assets, Including Intangible Assets, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Long-lived Assets The Company reviews the carrying value of amortizable long-lived assets whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability of assets to be held for sale and held for use is measured by a comparison of the carrying amount of the asset to the undiscounted future net cash flows expected to be generated by the asset. If facts and circumstances indicate that the carrying value of an asset or groups of assets, as applicable, is impaired, the long-lived asset or groups of long-lived assets are written down to their estimated fair value. Held for sale We classify long-lived assets or disposal groups as held for sale in the period: management commits to a plan to sell; the long-lived asset or disposal group is available for immediate sale in its present condition subject only to terms that are usual and customary for sales of such long-lived assets or disposal groups; an active program to locate a buyer and other actions required to complete the plan to sell have been initiated; the sale is probable within one year; the asset or disposal group is being actively marketed for sale at a price that is reasonable in relation to its current fair value; and it is unlikely that significant changes to the plan will be made or that the plan will be withdrawn. Long-lived assets and disposal groups classified as held for sale are measured at the lower of their carrying amount or fair value less costs to sell.
Research, Development, and Computer Software, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Software Development Costs Software development costs for Sypris Electronics are expensed as incurred until technological feasibility has been established, at which time those costs are capitalized as intangible assets until the software is implemented into products sold to customers. Capitalized software development costs are amortized on a straight-line basis over the estimated useful life of the software, which is currently eighteen months. Costs incurred to enhance existing software or after the implementation of the software into a product are expensed in the period they are incurred and included in research and development expense in the consolidated statements of operations. All capitalized software development costs were included in the sale of the CSS business in 2016 (see Note 4). As of December 31, 2015, the Company had capitalized software development costs of $1,597,000 included in other current assets. For the years end December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company recorded related amortization of $1,089,000 and $2,090,000, respectively.
Revenue Recognition, Deferred Revenue [Policy Text Block]	Deferred Revenue Deferred revenue for Sypris Electronics is recorded when payments are received in advance for service agreements and extended warranties on certain products and is amortized into revenue on a straight-line basis over the contractual term. Deferred revenue for Sypris Electronics also includes prepayments received prior to the time when products are shipped. When the related products are shipped, the related amount recorded as deferred revenue is recognized as revenue. Deferred revenue for Sypris Technologies is recorded when prepayments received prior to the time when products are shipped. When the related products are shipped, the related amount recorded as deferred revenue is recognized as revenue. Deferred revenue is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheets.
Share-based Compensation, Option and Incentive Plans Policy [Policy Text Block]	Stock-based Compensation The Company accounts for stock-based compensation in accordance with the fair value recognition provisions using the Black-Scholes option-pricing method, which requires the input of several subjective assumptions. These assumptions include estimating the length of time employees will retain their vested stock options before exercising them (expected term), the estimated volatility of our common stock price over the expected term and the number of options that will ultimately not complete their vesting requirements (forfeitures). Changes in the subjective assumptions can materially affect the fair value estimate of stock-based compensation and consequently, the related expense recognized in the consolidated statements of operations.
Income Tax, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Income Taxes The Company uses the liability method in accounting for income taxes. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recorded for temporary differences between the tax basis of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the consolidated financial statements, using the statutory tax rates in effect for the year in which the differences are expected to reverse. A valuation allowance is recorded to reduce the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets unless it is more likely than not that such assets will be realized. In the ordinary course of business there is inherent uncertainty in quantifying the Company’s income tax positions. The Company assesses its income tax positions and records tax benefits for all years subject to examination based upon management’s evaluation of the facts, circumstances, and information available at the reporting dates. For those tax positions where it is more-likely-than-not that a tax benefit will be sustained, the Company has recorded the largest amount of tax benefit with a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority that has full knowledge of all relevant information. For those income tax positions where it is not more-likely-than-not that a tax benefit will be sustained, no tax benefit has been recognized in the financial statements. Where applicable, associated interest has also been recognized. The Company recognizes liabilities or assets for the deferred tax consequences of temporary differences between the tax bases of assets or liabilities and their reported amounts in the financial statements in accordance with ASC 740, Income Taxes . The Company recognizes interest accrued related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense. Penalties, if incurred, would be recognized as a component of income tax expense. The Company expects to repatriate available non-U.S. cash holdings to support management’s strategic objectives and fund ongoing U.S. operational cash flow requirements; therefore current earnings from non-U.S. operations are not treated as permanently reinvested. The U.S. income tax recorded in 2015 on these non-U.S. earnings was offset by the benefit of a partial release of a valuation allowance on deferred tax assets associated with our U.S. net operating loss carryforwards. Should the U.S. valuation allowance be eliminated at some future date, the U.S. tax on foreign earnings not permanently reinvested may have a material effect on our effective tax rate. For the year ended December 31, 2016, the Company expects any additional tax expense from non-U.S. withholding and other taxes expected to be incurred on the repatriation of current earnings will not be material.
Cost of Sales, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Net Revenue and Cost of Sales Net revenue of products and services under commercial terms and conditions are recorded upon delivery and passage of title, or when services are rendered. Related shipping and handling costs, if any, are included in costs of sales. Net revenue on fixed-price contracts is recognized as services are performed. Revenue is deferred until all of the following have occurred (1) there is a contract in place, (2) delivery has occurred, (3) the price is fixed or determinable, and (4) collectability is reasonably assured. Contract profits are taken into earnings based on actual cost of sales for units shipped. Amounts representing contract change orders or claims are included in revenue when such costs are invoiced to the customer.
Premiums Receivable, Allowance for Doubtful Accounts, Estimation Methodology, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Allowance for Doubtful Accounts An allowance for uncollectible trade receivables is recorded when accounts are deemed uncollectible based on consideration of write-off history, aging analysis, and any specific, known troubled accounts.
Standard Product Warranty, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Product Warranty Costs The provision for estimated warranty costs is recorded at the time of sale and is periodically adjusted to reflect actual experience. The Company’s warranty liability, which is included in accrued liabilities in the accompanying balance sheets, as of December 31, 2016 and 2015, was $856,000 and $830,000, respectively. The Company’s warranty expense for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015 was $73,000 and $159,000, respectively. Additionally, prior to the sale of the CSS business (see Note 4) the Company sold three and five -year extended warranties for certain link encryption products. The revenue from the extended warranties is deferred and recognized ratably over the contractual term. As of December 31, 2016 and 2015, the Company had deferred $162,000 and $495,000, respectively, related to extended warranties. At December 31, 2016, $155,000 is included in accrued liabilities and $7,000 is included in other liabilities in the accompanying balance sheets. At December 31, 2015, $333,000 is included in accrued liabilities and $162,000 is included in other liabilities in the accompanying balance sheets.
Concentration Risk, Credit Risk, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Concentrations of Credit Risk Financial instruments which potentially expose the Company to concentrations of credit risk consist of accounts receivable. The Company’s customer base consists of a number of customers in diverse industries across geographic areas, primarily in North America and Mexico, various departments or agencies of the U.S. Government, and aerospace and defense companies under contract with the U.S. Government. The Company performs periodic credit evaluations of its customers’ financial condition and does not require collateral on its commercial accounts receivable. Credit losses are provided for in the consolidated financial statements and consistently have been within management’s expectations. Approximately 41% of accounts receivable outstanding at December 31, 2016 is due from three customers. More specifically, Sistemas, Meritor and Tyco comprise 15%, 14% and 12%, respectively of December 31, 2016 outstanding accounts receivables. Approximately 37% of accounts receivable outstanding at December 31, 2015 was due from our largest three customers. More specifically, Sistemas, Meritor and Exelis comprise 16%, 11% and 10%, respectively of December 31, 2015 outstanding accounts receivables. Sypris Technologies’ largest customers for the year ended December 31, 2016 were Meritor, Sistemas and Detroit Diesel Corporation, which represented approximately 19%, 12% and 10%, respectively, of the Company’s total net revenue. Meritor, Sistemas and Detroit Diesel Corporation were the Company’s largest customers for the year ended December 31, 2015, which represented approximately 30%, 11% and 10%, respectively, of the Company’s total net revenue. The Company recognized revenue from contracts with the U.S. Government and its agencies approximating 3% and 5% of net revenue for the years ended December 31, 2016 and 2015, respectively. No other single customer accounted for more than 10% of the Company’s total net revenue for the years ended December 31, 2016 or 2015.
Foreign Currency Transactions and Translations Policy [Policy Text Block]	Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency for the Company’s Mexican subsidiaries is the Mexican peso. Assets and liabilities are translated at the period end exchange rate, and income and expense items are translated at the weighted average exchange rate. The resulting translation adjustments are recorded in comprehensive (loss) income as a separate component of stockholders’ equity. Remeasurement gains or losses for U.S. dollar denominated accounts of the Company’s Mexican subsidiaries are included in other (income), net.
Collective Bargaining Agreements [Policy Text Block]	Collective Bargaining Agreements Approximately 335, or 55% of the Company’s employees, all within Sypris Technologies, were covered by collective bargaining agreements at December 31, 2016. Excluding certain Mexico employees covered under an annually ratified agreement, collective bargaining agreements covering 139 employees expire within the next 12 months. Certain Mexico employees are covered by an annually ratified collective bargaining agreement. These employees represented approximately 32% of the Company’s workforce, or 196 employees as of December 31, 2016.
New Accounting Pronouncements, Policy [Policy Text Block]	Adoption of Recently Issued Accounting Standards In May 2014, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2014 - 09, Revenue from Contracts with Customers. This new standard will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP. The core principle of the ASU is that an entity should recognize revenue for the transfer of goods or services equal to the amount it expects to receive for those goods and services. This ASU requires additional disclosures about the nature, amount, timing and uncertainty of revenue and cash flows arising from customer contracts, including significant judgments and estimates and changes in those estimates. In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU 2015 - 14, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Deferral of the Effective Date, which delayed the effective date of ASU 2014 - 09 by one year to January 1, 2018. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 08, Revenue from Contracts with Customers: Principal versus Agent Considerations (Reporting Revenue Gross versus Net), which clarifies the implementation guidance on principal versus agent considerations and includes indicators to assist an entity in determining whether it controls a specified good or service before it is transferred to the customers. In April of 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 10, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) - Identifying Performance Obligations and Licensing, which reduces the complexity when applying the guidance for identifying performance obligations and improves the operability and understandability of the license implementation guidance. In May 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 12, Revenue from Contracts with Customers (Topic 606) - Narrow-Scope Improvements and Practical Expedients, which amends the guidance on transition, collectability, non-cash consideration, and the presentation of sales and other similar taxes. ASU 2016 - 12 clarifies that, for a contract to be considered completed at transition, all (or substantially all) of the revenue must have been recognized under legacy GAAP. In addition, ASU 2016 - 12 clarifies how an entity should evaluate the collectability threshold and when an entity can recognize nonrefundable consideration received as revenue if an arrangement does not meet the standard’s contract criteria. The standard allows for both retrospective and modified retrospective methods of adoption. While the Company is in the process of evaluating the effect of adoption on the consolidated financial statements and is currently assessing its contracts with customers, the Company does not expect a material impact on the results of operations, cash flows or financial position. The Company anticipates it will expand the consolidated financial statement disclosures in order to comply with the new ASU and has not concluded on the transition method upon adoption. In August 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014 - 15, Presentation of Financial Statements-Going Concern. The new guidance requires management to assess if there is substantial doubt about an entity’s ability to continue as a going concern for each annual and interim period. If conditions or events give rise to substantial doubt, disclosures are required. ASU 2014 - 15 is effective for the annual period ending after December 15, 2016, and for annual and interim periods thereafter; early application is permitted. The adoption of this standard did not have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. In April 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015 - 03, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835 - 30): Simplifying the Presentation of Debt Issuance Costs. The amendments in this ASU 2015 - 03 require that debt issuance costs related to a recognized debt liability be presented in the balance sheet as a direct deduction from the carrying amount of that debt liability, consistent with debt discounts. The recognition and measurement guidance for debt issuance costs are not affected by the amendments in this ASU 2015 - 03. In August 2015 the FASB issued ASU No. 2015 - 15, Interest - Imputation of Interest (Subtopic 835 - 30): Presentation and Subsequent Measurement of Debt Issuance Costs Associated with Line-of-Credit Arrangements - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Staff Announcement at June 18, 2015 EITF Meeting. ASU 2015 - 15 was issued to address presentation or subsequent measurement of debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements that were not found in ASU 2015 - 03. Given the absence of authoritative guidance within ASU 2015 - 03 for debt issuance costs related to line-of-credit arrangements, the ASU provides that the SEC staff would not object to an entity deferring and presenting debt issuance costs as an asset and subsequently amortizing the deferred debt issuance costs ratably over the term of the line-of-credit arrangement, regardless of whether there are any outstanding borrowings on the line-of-credit arrangement. These standards are effective for fiscal years, and interim periods within those fiscal years, beginning after December 15, 2015, and should be applied retrospectively. Early adoption is permitted. The Company adopted this guidance January 1, 2016. As a result of adoption, debt issuance costs of $1,220,000 were reclassified from assets to reduce long-term-debt as of December 31, 2015 . In July 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015 - 11, which simplifies the subsequent measurement of inventory. It replaces the current lower of cost or market test with a lower of cost or net realizable value test. The standard is effective for public entities for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2016, and interim periods therein. Early adoption is permitted. The new guidance must be applied prospectively. The adoption of this standard is not expected to have a material impact on the Company’s consolidated financial statements. In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016 - 02, Leases (Topic 842). The new standard was issued to increase transparency and comparability among organizations by recognizing lease assets and lease liabilities on the balance sheet and disclosing key information about leasing arrangements. This standard affects any entity that enters into a lease, with some specified scope exemptions. The guidance in this update supersedes FASB ASC 840, Leases. The amendments in this ASU are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2018, including interim periods within those fiscal years. The Company is currently assessing the impact of adopting this ASU on its consolidated financial statements and related disclosures. We believe the adoption of the standard will likely have a material impact to our Consolidated Balance Sheets for the recognition of certain operating leases as right-of-use assets and lease liabilities. The Company’s operating lease obligations are described in Note 17 of the Consolidated Financial Statements. We are in the early process of analyzing our lease portfolio and evaluating systems to comply with the standard’s retrospective adoption requirements. In March 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016 - 09, Improvements to Employee Share-Based Payment Accounting (ASU 2016 - 09) requiring an entity to record all excess tax benefits and tax deficiencies as an income tax benefit or expense in the income statement. ASU 2016 - 09 will also require an entity to elect an accounting policy to either estimate the number of forfeitures or account for forfeitures when they occur . We adopted this ASU effective January 1, 2017, and have elected to recognize forfeitures as they occur. The related financial statement impacts of adopting the above aspects of this ASU are not expected to be material, however, depending on several factors such as the market price of the Company’s common stock, employee exercise behavior and corporate income tax rates, the excess tax benefits associated with the exercise of stock options and vesting of restricted and performance shares could generate a significant discrete income tax benefit in a particular interim period potentially creating volatility in net income and earnings per share period-to-period and period-over-period. Our plans do not permit tax withholdings in excess of the statutory minimums. In August 2016, the FASB issued ASU 2016 - 15, Classification of Certain Cash Receipts and Cash Payments. This ASU provides guidance to clarify how certain cash receipts and payments should be presented in the statement of cash flows. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2017, and interim periods within those annual periods. Early adoption is permitted in any annual or interim period. The updated guidance requires a modified retrospective adoption. The Company is evaluating the impact of adoption on the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flow. In October 2016, the FASB issued guidance that simplifies the accounting for the income tax consequences of intra-entity transfers of assets other than inventory. Current GAAP prohibits the recognition in earnings of current and deferred income taxes for an intra-entity transfer until the asset is sold to an outside party or recovered through use. This amendment simplifies the accounting by requiring entities to recognize the income tax consequences of an intraentity transfer of an asset other than inventory when the transfer occurs. The new guidance, which could impact effective tax rates, becomes effective January 1, 2018 and requires modified retrospective application. Early adoption is permitted as of the beginning of an annual reporting period for which interim or annual financial statements have not yet been issued. The Company is evaluating the impact of adoption on the Company's financial position, results of operations and cash flow. In November 2016, the FASB released guidance that addresses the diversity in practice in the classification and presentation of changes in restricted cash on the statement of cash flows. Amounts generally described as restricted cash and restricted cash equivalents should be included with cash and cash equivalents when reconciling the beginning-of-period and end-of-period total amounts shown on the statement of cash flows. This guidance becomes effective January 1, 2018 and must be applied on a retrospective basis. This guidance will result in a change in presentation of our consolidated statement of cash flows.