The purpose is correction, not evidence
Inspection after delivery documents a problem. Inspection before shipment lets the supplier fix it while the item is still on their floor and the schedule is still recoverable. That difference is the entire value proposition.
Decide by consequence, not by value
A low-value gasket on a shutdown-critical path can justify verification where an expensive but easily replaced component does not. The right test is what happens if it is wrong, and how long a replacement takes.
What inspection reliably finds
In practice, the recurring findings are documentation gaps, dimensional deviation on made-to-print items, incorrect material grade, and preservation or packing that will not survive the journey. None of those are exotic, and all of them are expensive to discover on site.
Agree acceptance criteria first
Inspection without an agreed inspection and test plan turns into an argument about opinion. The criteria should be documented before manufacture completes, not negotiated at the works.
