1. A method for controlling an industrial robot which sequentially works a plurality of substantially identical workpieces at working points thereof measured with respect to at least one reference point thereof, comprising the steps of: teaching provisional working points and at least one provisional reference point by sensing a portion of a first one of the workpieces and storing position data of said provisional working points and said provisional reference point; determining a position of an actual reference point for another of said workpieces by sensing a portion of said other workpiece by a sensor attached to a hand of said industrial robot and determining by calculation a distance and direction from said provisional reference point to said actual reference point based on the stored data; and determining actual working points of said other workpiece based on the stored data of said provisional working points and said distance and direction to move a working hand of said industrial robot to said actual working points.