diff --git a/test/validation/test_cantilever_minimal.jl b/test/validation/test_cantilever_minimal.jl
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c2d604
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/validation/test_cantilever_minimal.jl
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+# Integration test for cantilever example with NEW API
+# Tests that the full workflow runs successfully
+
+using Test
+using JuliaFEM
+using Tensors
+using LinearAlgebra
+
+@testset "Cantilever NEW API Integration Test" begin
+    # Run the example in a function to capture results
+    function run_cantilever_example()
+        # Create mesh
+        nodes = [
+            Vec{3}((0.0, 0.0, 0.0)), Vec{3}((5.0, 0.0, 0.0)),
+            Vec{3}((5.0, 1.0, 0.0)), Vec{3}((0.0, 1.0, 0.0)),
+            Vec{3}((0.0, 0.0, 1.0)), Vec{3}((5.0, 0.0, 1.0)),
+            Vec{3}((5.0, 1.0, 1.0)), Vec{3}((0.0, 1.0, 1.0)),
+            Vec{3}((10.0, 0.0, 0.0)), Vec{3}((10.0, 1.0, 0.0)),
+            Vec{3}((10.0, 0.0, 1.0)), Vec{3}((10.0, 1.0, 1.0))
+        ]
+
+        connectivity = [
+            (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8),
+            (2, 9, 10, 3, 6, 11, 12, 7)
+        ]
+
+        E = 210e9
+        ν = 0.3
+
+        # Create elements
+        elements = Element[]
+        for (elem_id, conn) in enumerate(connectivity)
+            elem_nodes = [nodes[i] for i in conn]
+            element = Element(Hexahedron, conn,
+                fields=(geometry=elem_nodes, youngs_modulus=E, poissons_ratio=ν),
+                id=UInt(elem_id))
+            push!(elements, element)
+        end
+
+        # Assemble
+        n_dofs = 3 * length(nodes)
+        K_global = zeros(n_dofs, n_dofs)
+        f_global = zeros(n_dofs)
+
+        for element in elements
+            K_local = JuliaFEM.compute_element_stiffness(element, 0.0)
+            conn = element.connectivity
+            gdofs = Int[]
+            for node in conn
+                push!(gdofs, 3 * (node - 1) + 1, 3 * (node - 1) + 2, 3 * (node - 1) + 3)
+            end
+            for (i, dof_i) in enumerate(gdofs)
+                for (j, dof_j) in enumerate(gdofs)
+                    K_global[dof_i, dof_j] += K_local[i, j]
+                end
+            end
+        end
+
+        # Apply loads
+        loaded_nodes = [9, 10, 11, 12]
+        F_total = -1000.0
+        f_per_node = F_total / length(loaded_nodes)
+        for node in loaded_nodes
+            f_global[3*node] = f_per_node
+        end
+
+        # Apply BCs
+        fixed_nodes = [1, 4, 5, 8]
+        fixed_dofs = Int[]
+        for node in fixed_nodes
+            push!(fixed_dofs, 3 * (node - 1) + 1, 3 * (node - 1) + 2, 3 * (node - 1) + 3)
+        end
+        for dof in fixed_dofs
+            K_global[dof, :] .= 0.0
+            K_global[:, dof] .= 0.0
+            K_global[dof, dof] = 1.0
+            f_global[dof] = 0.0
+        end
+
+        # Solve
+        u = K_global \ f_global
+
+        return u, K_global, f_global
+    end
+
+    # Run the example
+    u, K, f = run_cantilever_example()
+
+    # Test 1: Solution exists and is correct size
+    @test length(u) == 36  # 12 nodes × 3 DOFs
+
+    # Test 2: Fixed nodes have zero displacement
+    fixed_dofs = [1, 2, 3, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 22, 23, 24]
+    for dof in fixed_dofs
+        @test abs(u[dof]) < 1e-10
+    end
+
+    # Test 3: Tip deflection is negative (downward)
+    # Tip nodes: 9,10,11,12; Z components: 27,30,33,36
+    tip_z_dofs = [27, 30, 33, 36]
+    for dof in tip_z_dofs
+        @test u[dof] < 0.0  # Downward deflection
+    end
+
+    # Test 4: Stiffness matrix is symmetric
+    @test isapprox(K, K', rtol=1e-10)
+
+    # Test 5: No NaN or Inf in solution
+    @test all(isfinite, u)
+
+    # Test 6: Tip deflection has reasonable magnitude (order 1e-7 m)
+    avg_tip_deflection = sum(u[tip_z_dofs]) / length(tip_z_dofs)
+    @test abs(avg_tip_deflection) > 1e-10  # Not zero
+    @test abs(avg_tip_deflection) < 1e-3   # Not unreasonably large
+
+    println("✅ All cantilever NEW API integration tests passed!")
+    println("   - Solution computed successfully")
+    println("   - Boundary conditions satisfied")
+    println("   - Tip deflection: $(abs(avg_tip_deflection)*1e3) mm")
+end