I managed to solder together SMT tactile switches in parallel with resistors.

Unfortunately, a solder joint breaks when trying to push the read rope into 0.170 inch inside diameter vinyl tubing.

From this experience, I have learned more considerations to make to turn this into a final product.

Switch

• The actuator force, force applied to switch to change its state(Closed to Open), needs to be light enough so that bending the tubing at the location of the switch will push the button.
• The switch needs to be small enough to have a resistor soldered underneath or next to it and still fit in tubing. Unfortunately, this leaves only SMT tactile switches available.

Tubing

• The tubing that will contain the read rope wires and switches and resistors will need to be very flexible. It also needs to contain a long wire segment that leads back to ground.
• It also must be thick enough to push the tactile switch button if bent at a location where there is a switch.
• Vinyl works well enough; however, more appropriate options for material need to be explored.

Flexible PCB

• Since SMT tactile switches need to be used, flexible printed circuit board will need to be considered for the version of the product that will be manufactured.
• The flexible PCB will need to be thin enough to fit into tubing.
• Fortunately, using SMT tactile switches and chip resistors will make read rope using flexible pcb to be very small due to size of the chip resistors and SMT tactile switches.