Cosmetic flaws are a common quality problem. They are, I believe, seldom resolved by trying to slip the product past a customer. If so, the quality problem is not merely cosmetic. The only alternative, then, is to replace the bolts now, whatever the delay and whatever the expense to Clarke, or to try to get out of the contract. While I doubt any quality control engineer would seriously consider passing the bolts on his own authority, the plant manager might.
Timely delivery is usually important when one company considers buying from another.
So is price. But just as important is quality, not necessarily quality in any absolute sense, but quality in the sense of meeting specifications. Most companies are willing to pay a bit more and to put up with some delays if the only alternative is receiving a product they may or may not be able to use. Clarke Engineering's reputation for quality is an important asset, one a plant manager can easily damage in an attempt to get product out the door. A reputation for quality, once lost, is hard to get back.