[fastolds]

If I have a part I want to machine on on both sides, do I make another CS plane on the other side and make sure it's active when making tool paths?

[cadman]

If you want to machine both sides of the part in the same program (machine one side, program stop, turn over part, continue machining) then yes, you will need a CS for the other side. When you create the CS make sure you toggle the depth axis in the correct direction, which is normally opposite the other CS.

You do not need to have the correct CS view active to drive the tool paths.

You do need to select the correct CS in the process tile before you drive your toolpath. This will be listed the the Mach CS box. The CS selected in this box will determine the correct orientation when you start selecting your geometry, faces, solids to drive toolpaths. If this is what you mean by making the CS plane active then you are correct.

This all assumes you are working with the Advanced Milling module

[miljnor]

you don't realy have to make a new cs unless your solid modeling and want to extrude or 4 axis machining or maybe 3 axis maching. if your actually stoping the machine and flipping the part over without axis control, gibbs dosn't care what cs you are in. but if you do change the cs and change the depth of your wireframe drawing it could cause some issue with pocketing and whatnot becuse the image is lower than the machining..(this is because your realy maching 2 different parts as far as the software is conncernd)

exuse my lame tyyping