Abstract: A method for detecting defects in objects includes: controlling, by a processor, one or more depth cameras to capture a plurality of depth images of a target object; computing, by the processor, a three-dimensional (3-D) model of the target object using the depth images; rendering, by the processor, one or more views of the 3-D model; computing, by the processor, a descriptor by supplying the one or more views of the 3-D model to a convolutional stage of a convolutional neural network; supplying, by the processor, the descriptor to a defect detector to compute one or more defect classifications of the target object; and outputting the one or more defect classifications of the target object.