The invention relates to a reverse method based on CAD model modification and measurement path planning for designing and machining machine pieces, which belongs to the technical field of mechanical reverse engineering. The technical scheme comprises the following steps of: 1, establishing an approximate initial model of a workpiece in UG NX4.0 software; 2, selecting key geometric elements to plan a measurement path; 3, creating a primary measurement program according a path file; 4, executing the primary measurement program to measure the measured elements; 5, reconstructing the measured elements; 6, modifying the initial model; and 7,creating a numerically controlled code according to the final CAD model, and transferring the code to a numerically controlled process plant to realize piece machining and reverse process. The reverse method adopts a design of model modification, gives full play to the subjective capability of man, and only measures and reconstructs the key geometric elements that require high precision, thereby greatly simplifying the measurement process and reconstruction algorithm. The path planning based on UG NX4.0 model space and the automatic generation of the measurement program ensures the safety, the rapidity and the precision of the measurement.