A method for identifying a cause of manufacturing defects is provided. The method includes capturing, by an image capture unit, a number N of images from a semiconductor wafer, wherein each of the s umber N of images comprises a number M of geometric features, calculating, by a processing unit, a geometric center for each of the geometric features of the number N of images, calculating, based on the number N of images, a number M of average geometric centers associated with the number M of geometric features, and calculating a shift amount for each geometric feature of the number N of images.